TMNT MOVIE 3 2012 Version: SCEPTER OF SECRETS
by Sesshomarusama3
Summary: When a retreat to Japan for April and her aunt goes awry, the Turtle family and Casey Jones must go to Splinter's homeland to rescue their friends, unaware of an ancient artifact that could bring disaster if it falls into the hands of the selfish Norinaga, the crafty Walker and his goons. Will the turtles succeed and uncover the secrets? (BASED OFF THIRD MOVIE, I OWN NOTHING, R&R)
1. Chapter 1: The Bonds of Friendship

**A/N: Hello my lovely people! Once again, here we are with the third addition of my TMNT MOVIE Sagas, and today we have TMNT MOVIE 3: SCEPTER OF SECRETS!  
**

**Yeah, there is no way this is gonna be exactly the same as what the real movie was, so I've altered it a great deal, adding my own story lines and twists to it whilst still keeping true to some areas of the movie that I actually liked. I hope you guys like what I do with it.**

**I OWN NOTHING! THIS IS NON PROFIT.**

**I hope you enjoy! This chapter is a sad one, despite being the first one, but I decided to kill your feels a little, because I'm just that evil!**

**Let's get on with the show!**

* * *

**TMNT MOVIE 3 2012 VERSION; SCEPTER OF SECRETS**

**Chapter 1: The Bonds of Friendship**

_Ancient Japan, Kyoto, 1603…_

Deep within the mountainous regions of ancient Japan, a fog began to settle upon the damp earth, obscuring the many villages and forests in a thick, white blanket, just as the sun was rising in the distance. However, the calmness that had settled over the landscape was about to be shattered in a sudden instant, as screams and shouts of both anger and terror tore through the early morning air, and the sounds of galloping horses in hot pursuit startled the forests' inhabitants as they hid, either taking to the skies in a dark cloud of feathers and squawks of fear, or burrowing underneath the earth to avoid being trampled upon by the thundering hooves.

The men riding these horses were known as samurai, all dressed in their customary heavy armor as they gave chase to their convict through the trees and now trampled shrubs and bushes of the forest, cursing said criminal in their native language and waving their glistening swords in the air.

The so-called criminal gave no heed to their cursing and threats as he ran, barefooted and slightly bleeding, through the tangled vines, across shallow streams and over bushes of the fog covered forests, glancing behind him periodically as they pursued him. He let out a hissed curse as he realized they were closer than he had thought, and he tightened his grip on the wrapped object he held in his arms.

This thing, this tool sent from hell itself, was far too dangerous for any mortal to hold, even for himself. He had to dispose of it, let it never be touched by the hands of man again.

And he knew one being that could possibly help him now.

Tucking the wrapped object safely in his obi, the young man pushed himself to go faster, darting past fallen logs and weaving through vines that hung low as he finally distanced himself enough from the samurai that had become blocked off by the fallen log, and he broke through the trees, finally reaching his destination; the bottom of the mountain that was known to him and to those in his village, as The Sacred Mountain of the Serpent Youkai.

After firmly securing the long object in his obi belt, he began to climb the mountain face, deeming it the fastest way to get up there than taking the mountain path. Sweat beads poured down his face as he strained every muscle in his body to keep climbing, remembering the familiar footholds and crevices that he was able to use to climb this very mountain face several times in the past…

…he feared that this would be the last time that he would be able to pay his dear companion a visit, should the samurai catch up to him.

He climbed higher and higher, breaking through the blanket of fog that hung over the trees. He allowed himself a moment to stop and catch his breath as he looked down at the land below him. He could see his village from here, the place he had once called home, the people rising up early to tend to the rice fields, the children eager and ready to greet the day as they ran down the dirt paths, waving their toys in the air as they laughed and played together.

If he had not taken the sacred item, that village would have been no more by the break of day. Everything he had known would have been gone forever.

And so would his beloved _koibioto…_

The sound of galloping horses and shouts snapped him out of his thoughts, reminding him once more about his mission as he continued on his course, climbing higher and higher, earning many nicks and scratches as his hastened climb caused him to scrape his bare skin against the rough surface of the rocks, until at long last, he found the familiar flat surface of the ledge, in which lay a dark cave that lead deep inside the mountain. Taking a precious moment to regain his breath again, the young man ran inside the dark cave, wishing that he had a light of some sort to guide his path. But he knew he wouldn't have to wait for long or travel very far; his friend never ventured too deep within the mountain, for he enjoyed the sunlight. He hardly ever left the cave.

"…who dares enter my mountain?" growled a low, threatening voice within the darkness.

The young man stopped in his tracks, panting heavily from exhaustion as he stood boldly before the shadowy figure before him. "It…It is I, my friend," he called, his exhausted voice bouncing off the walls of the cave, "It is me, Kenshin."

"…Kenshin?" the voice replied, recognition in his voice as the owner stepped out of the shadows and approached the young human, staring down at him with dark, piercing emerald eyes. His long, scaly green snout spread out into a wide, friendly smile, showing the razor like teeth within his mighty jaws. His back, which was covered in jagged spikes that trailed down his spine and ended at the tip of his long green tail, was slightly hunched due to his long years huddled inside his cave, and his body had many scars from battles fought long ago, as were his claws that covered the tip of his webbed fingers on his large hands.

His hard eyes, full of mystery, past horrors and hidden secrets, softened at the sight of his human friend as he let out a low rumble from his reptilian throat. "Kenshin, my friend," he greeted warmly, but his crocodilian smile faded into a slight frown as he looked closer, seeing the fear in the lad's eyes and the tension in his clenched fists. "What troubles you, young one?" he asked softly.

Kenshin swallowed thickly. "My friend, I do not have much time left," he said, restraining the fear in his voice as he looked up at the spirit creature, "I have taken something of great spiritual from my village Headman in order to save my village from his tyranny, and now he id after my life…"

From the sleeves of his obi, he drew out the object, and he unwrapped the blanket that concealed it, revealing a long, silver metallic scepter, with a shining jewel-like stone that sat upon its top. The large reptile's eyes widened in surprise, and then he cast his confused gaze back to the human.

"Please, I beg of you," Kenshin continued, holding out the scepter as he bowed his head in respect before the mighty creature, "this is my final request. Please, protect this scepter; keep it away from the hands of man. This is the key to destruction upon possibly all of japan, so I beg of you, keep it safe. Keep my beloved ones safe…and my _Koibito_…"

The large creature nodded once, and he gently took the scepter into his large clawed hands. "…I promise you, my friend. I swear that I will keep this safe, even at the cost of my own life," he spoke, his heart wrenching inside from the knowledge that his most trusted friend, his _only _friend in this entire land, was not going to return to him. He was still so young, too young to die.

And all because he was doing the right thing.

Kenshin nodded, tears welling up in his eyes through his thick, brown bangs as he looked up to the mutant, smiling despite the pain, and the fear. No matter how many times he denied it, both to his family, his friends, and his beloved, he feared the day of his death. All things had to die sometime; it was only a matter of time.

He never thought his time would come so soon.

Unable hold back any longer, he ran up to the creature, wrapping his arms around his large waist in a warm embrace. The beast lowered himself to return the hug, his large arms encircling the human as he held him close for the final time. He could feel the boy's heart thumping against his chest in fear. His little body trembled in his arms.

He was truly afraid. If only there was some way he could protect him.

But his fate had been sealed, and he had made him a promise, a promise he would keep until his own dying day.

The two of them pulled away sharply at the sound of galloping, shouts and the scraping of metal. The samurai were coming. There was no time left. If they were to discover this cave, they would find the spirit as well.

Kenshin gazed up at his friend one last time. "Thank you, for everything. _Sayonara, _my friend," he said, his voice quivering as the tears spilled down his cheeks.

"…Goodbye, Kenshin," the creature lowered his head, hiding the tears that threatened to spill from his own eyes as Kenshin spun on his heel and charged out of the cave. He stared at his retreating form one last time, before turning away, retreating further into his dwelling.

Even as the tears poured down his face, Kenshin grit his teeth together and drew his sword, preparing to fight as he leapt out of the cave, and ran down the slope to meet the samurai head on.

If he were to die, he would die fighting, and with the honor and love for his people on his shoulders.

He would die knowing that, at least, they would carry on living in peace…

* * *

_New York, Manhattan, 2014 (Present Day)_

The brightly lit streets of the ever-moving city of New York were just as busy as usual, the many humans that inhabited this grand metropolis rushing around, their not-so focused minds set on their daily routines for their normal lives.

Or as normal as it had been for the past few months.

Four months ago, reports of people said to be 'ninjas' had patrolled and terrorized their city, dubbed as The Silent Crime Wave. That was, until an unidentified force that was _not _the police had finally put a stop to them once and for all, and peace had been restored once more, until three months after that, more reports of ninjas, and even robotic men and _'mutant' _like creatures that were prowling the streets had gotten out, causing mad panic among the people.

But yet again, that same, mysterious force that even the police and detectives couldn't even decipher had put a stop to that as well.

In fact, it seemed that because of whatever, or _who_ever was doing these great deeds and acts of bravery was the reason behind the crime rate dropping rapidly. Of course, all police and detectives were furious, due to the fact that they had yet to find the source of this secretive force. But to the people, those people were a sign sent from heaven to protect their fair city.

The identity of these 'heroes' were still unknown, but they preferred it that way. For down in the very underbelly of this grand, clueless city, was where their heroes dwelled, deep within the darkest tunnels and shadows of the unexplored sewers, well hidden and unknown…

"**_BOOYAKASHAAAA!"_**

…and at times, very loud.

"Mikey! Get your shell back here so I can splatter you!" yelled a gruff and furious voice, echoing from inside the walls of an abandoned subway station, which had been transformed into a fully functional home over fifteen years ago, and was now inhabited by the most unlikeliest of families.

This subway station belonged to the four heroes-in-the-half-shells, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles themselves.

Well, soon to be _three_ ninja turtles, if Raphael had his way.

"**_AAAAAAAAAHHHH! _**_C'MON, RAPH! I SAID I WAS SORRY! I WAS ONLY TRYING TO CHEER YOU UP, MAN!" _cried Michelangelo, the youngest and most hyperactive of the four turtles as he ran screaming and flailing his arms in the air in panic as his older, hot tempered brother, Raphael, chased him with a wooden spoon.

"Throw a water balloon on _ME, _will ya?! I'm gonna slap you!" Raph bellowed back.

For the four boys, it had been a whole month after the events of the mutagen discovery. Much had happened during that time, and it had taken some time for the family to settle down again. Their greatest enemies, The Shredder and the alien race known as the Kraang, had been oddly silent these past few weeks, apart from the odd Purple Dragon robbery or a Kraang scheme every now and then, which the turtles were slowly getting used to, as well as adapting to the attacks of The Foot Bots that Shredder had created.

Other than that, life had been pretty normal in the lair. Well, as normal as a family of mutants could possibly be.

It was still early in the morning when the chaos erupted from the kitchen. The four brothers, Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo and Raphael had risen early for breakfast that morning before their training with their father and teacher, Master Splinter, when young Mikey had deemed it humorous to fill up a balloon with _ice cold _water, and throw it at his red clad brother, who was _not _known as a morning person and was already in a very sour mood to begin with, which resulted in the current chase around the living room, and the shrieked Japanese curse words. Leonardo, the eldest and most responsible out of the turtles, as well as the leader of their team, could only shake his head and watch everything unfold, whilst Donatello, the brightest and most intelligent out of the four, couldn't hold down his laughter as he watched his two brothers run after each other and squawk like a couple of angry geese.

Before Raph could finally pummel Mikey into the ground, the rapping of a staff upon the floor silenced them all as they stood to attention. Master Splinter emerged from the dojo, raising a furry brow at his sons. He ignored the fact that Raphael had pinned Michelangelo down, and looked as if he were about to strike him, and instead shook his head with a sigh. "If you are quite finished, join me in the dojo for your training," he said, turning and walking back into the dojo, expecting his sons to follow.

Donnie snickered down at Mikey and Raph as he walked past them, and Raph growled in response. Beneath Raph, Mikey giggled, "Poor Raphie's gonna get in trouble!"

Raph raised his angered fist again, only to have Leo wordlessly grab them both by the backs of their masks and twisting them harshly as he forced them to their feet, both of them yelping in pain as they were dragged to the dojo.

Sometimes, Leo mused, he wondered why he even tried.

* * *

Soon, the four turtles were lined up in the dojo, two on each side, standing to attention as they awaited their Sensei's commands, who looked upon each of them with a father-like fondness. "My sons," he said, walking past his sons with his hands folded behind his back, "You are truly becoming impressive warriors. But to grow as a team, you must learn each others' strengths, _and _weaknesses."

One by one, the turtles drew their weapons; Leonardo unsheathed his twin katana blades, Raphael twirled his Sai, Donatello spun his wooden Bo staff, and as Michelangelo flipped out his nunchaku in a flamboyant fashion, he also let out a long, disgusting belch, right into Donnie's face.

Donnie reeled backwards in disgust, coughing and rubbing his irritated eyes with the back of his hand. "**_AUGH! _**Right in my _face_, really?!" he cried.

Mikey only laughed. "Garlic and Clam pizza!"

Leo made a face. "Why would you even _eat_ something like that?" he grimaced.

Splinter shook his head again before continuing, interrupting his sons' 'debate'. "This competition is a 'Free for All'," he announced, "Last turtle standing wins. **_Hajime_**!"

With that, the turtles began, with Raphael charging straight for Donatello, who was still stunned from Mikey's unpleasant surprise. "I'm still seeing spots…" he breathed in a daze, before being sent flying and hitting his shell hard against the tree in the center of the dojo by a spinning kick from Raph.

"Sorry, Donnie!" Raph mocked as Mikey pointed and laughed at Donnie's defeat behind him, "It's a Ninja eat Ninja world!" He then spun around and darted towards Mikey, who was barely able to duck out of the way as Leo locked blades with Raph instead.

"What're you doing, Leo?! I was aiming for Mikey!" Raph growled.

"What past of 'last turtle standing' don't you understand?" Leo retorted, shoving Raph backwards as he slid across the floor, taking Mikey down with a sweep of his leg.

Mikey fell to the ground with a thump, and he folded his arms and pouted. "Aw man!" he whined.

Splinter stepped forwards, stroking his beard as he watched his eldest son. "Deception, misdirection," he mused, "powerful weapons in a ninja's arsenal." He then looked down with a frown as he found his youngest son silently mimicking him and his movements. Mikey grinned sheepishly before jumping back to his feet to sit next to Donnie on the sidelines to watch Leo and Raph face each other.

Raph and Leo circled each other, their weapons dangerously poised and ready. "Looks like you've leveled up to the boss fight!" Raph mocked.

Leo only scoffed. "I'm gonna wipe that smirk off your face…_permanently_."

With twin cries, the two charged each other, locking blades and exchanging hard blows, until Raph knocked away one of Leo's blades. Leo only hesitated for a moment before rushing back towards Raph with a growl, flinging his brothers' Sai into the tree with a swing of his katana. As Raph rushed off to retrieve his Sai and attack again, Leo swiftly ran from behind, circled the tree, and leapt into the air just as Raph turned, only able to let out a gasp of surprise before Leo struck his knee hard into the side of his face, sending him crashing to the floor on his face.

"Well, Leo won it this time!" Donnie announced.

Raph watched with a glare as Leo walked past him, picking up his discarded katana as he sheathed them both and knelt before Master Splinter, who nodded to him in approval.

Suddenly, a low animalistic growl erupted from Raph's throat. Only the whites of his eyes were seen as his breath came out in ragged angry huffs. Donnie and Mikey watched with wide eyes. "Uh oh," Mikey gulped, "He's awoken the beast!"

Then with a yell, Raph charged for Leo again, and the blue clad turtle only had a moment to stand up and spin around before the pronged ends of Raph's Sai hooked his wrist, trapping his arm in a lock as Raph rammed his elbow into his gut, and then struck him hard in the face with his fist, sending Leo flying and landing on the ground with a pained groan.

Donnie and Mikey immediately rushed to their older brothers' side, looking down and over him in worry before Donnie sent Raph a scowl. "Raph, what're you _doing_?!" he barked harshly. Mikey only ignored them as he looked worriedly over Leo, putting a gentle hand on his head. He let out a small gasp as he spotted something red that _wasn't _supposed to be on the carpet.

"I-I didn't mean to hurt him!" Raph explained, his tone clearly panicked, "It was an accident! Seriously!"

Donnie only shook his head, still glaring at Raph with disapproving eyes. It was then that Leo finally recovered, rolling onto his back as he slowly sat himself up. All eyes widened at the sight of the thick, reddish black liquid dripping down his chin as he rubbed his aching head. "…Did you guys get the number of that bus?" he groaned.

Raph gazed down at his older brother, his emerald eyes widening in horror. What had he done? He had gone too far, that's what! They always sparred together, but never had any of them hurt each other to the point of bleeding.

Or as far as Donnie and Mikey knew, that was the case.

"We have spoken of this time and again, Raphael," Splinter snapped, gaining the attention of his distressed son, "Anger is a dangerous ally; it clouds your judgment. You need to learn to control it, lest it controls _you_."

"But Sensei, I wasn't angry!" Raph claimed, "I was just…determined to win!"

As Donnie and Mikey helped their older brother to his feet, the three of them made sounds of disapproval as they looked at him doubtfully.

Raph glared at them. "**_What?!_**_ I said I **WASN'T** angry!" _he snarled, his temper rising and boiling once more. Donnie and Mikey seemed to shrink backwards ever so slightly, but Leo only narrowed his eyes and shook his head, the blood still dripping down his chin.

Raph let out a loud growl before throwing down his Sais and storming out of the dojo, the rest of his family staring after him as they set Leo on his feet again, with Mikey's left hand grasping his shoulder, as if afraid to release him.

Leo sighed, wiping the blood off his chin with a flick of his thumb. "I'll go and talk to him," he said, patting Mikey reassuringly as he moved towards the door, but was soon stopped by Donnie's hand gripping his wrist.

"Ah, ah, Leo. We need to get you an ice pack for your head and check out your face," he cautioned, bringing Leo closer for inspection, "it looks like it's starting to swell there. And besides, I don't think anyone should be talking to Raph right now. I think…I think he still needs some time to…y'know…"

Looking down briefly in recognition, Leo nodded in acceptance, letting Donnie lead him out of the dojo by his wrist.

Watching them leave, Mikey looked up to his father, his big blue eyes full of worry. "Sensei? Do you think Raph will ever…y'know…" he stammered, looking unsure of what to say now as he played with the wrappings on his wrist.

Letting out a soft sigh, Splinter placed a hand on his youngest sons' shoulder, making him look up at him. "In time, Michelangelo, he will," he said, "I know from experience that the loss of a loved one is indeed very hard. The memories will hurt, and the pain will never truly fade, but in time, the wounds will heal."

Mikey nodded once, looking down at his feet again sadly. "…it sucks losing a friend, huh Sensei?"

Splinter nodded. "Yes, my son. It does."

* * *

Leo paused at Raph's door, staring at the metal barrier that separated him from his currently brooding brother. Preparing himself for the worst, he rapped on his brother's door with his knuckle, his other hand used to hold up the ice pack on his swelling cheek. "Raph? You in there?" he called.

"Go away, Leo!" came the growled response, "I'm not in the mood for another one of your damn lectures!"

Leo closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath through his nose and releasing it in a controlled sigh. This was not going to be easy, but it had to be done, for all their sakes.

Especially Raph's.

"Raph…just let me in," he said gently, pressing his forehead against the metal door, "I promise I won't lecture you, I just wanna talk. Please?"

A long silence passed, nothing moved, nothing stirred, and no one spoke. Leo sighed again, turning to leave, when he heard the door open, revealing the dejected form of Raph as he looked up at him with despondent eyes. He looked at the ice pack on Leo's cheek, and he turned away again, muttering a Japanese curse as he sat back on his bed, folding his arms across his plastron as he stared at the empty crate next to his bed. Leo's shoulders slumped as he moved to sit next to Raph, setting the ice pack on the bed as he looked at his younger brother. "…Raph?"

Raph slid his green eyes back at Leo, then back to the crate. "…listen, Leo," he began quietly, "before you say anything, I…me…ugh, well I'm…um…" he shrugged uncomfortably, "…sorry."

Leo smiled softly, choosing not to press further like he usually would have as he only nodded. "It's okay, Raph," he said.

Raph nodded back, still not looking at Leo. "I…I really wasn't trying to hurt you, man. I don't know what happened. I guess I'm just…I'm still…"

"…you're still bent up about Spike." Leo finished for him.

Raph hunched his shoulders, clamping his teeth shut as he stared once again at the empty crate.

It had been over half a month ago. Raph knew more than anyone that all things died in the end; it was only a matter of time.

He just didn't expect Spike's time to come so soon.

He knew the little turtle was sick, but he never thought he was _that _sick; just another cold or something, if normal turtles _could _even get colds. He thought he would be fine if he left him to rest on his bed for a little while, so he pet him goodbye and set off after his brothers.

Raph didn't cry when he came home from patrol that night to find his pet turtle lying cold and motionless on the floor; he only panicked. He didn't cry when Donnie had told him that his pet was dead; he only ran into his room and slammed the door shut, and even in the privacy of his room, he still refused to cry. And on that dark, gloomy night where he had to bury him in Central Park, he still refused to release the tears.

But it didn't mean it didn't hurt that every time he turned to look at his bedside in the morning, he was met with nothing but an empty bed in an empty crate…

Ever since his death, Raph's temper had risen more and more; the only way he could deal with the loss was to get angry, hit something, or in most cases, hit _someone_. He couldn't really expect his brothers to understand what he felt; they had never lost a friend like Spike before. Spike understood him like no one else did, even though he couldn't speak.

Spike was his best friend.

Leo gazed at his younger brother sadly, bringing his left arm up to wrap it around his shoulders and bringing him close. Surprisingly, Raph didn't resist the gesture, which for the hotheaded turtle, was unusual, for he was never used to being shown or showing such affection. Despite that, Leo decided to go onwards. "Raph…I really am sorry," he spoke softly, "and I know I won't be able to ever truly understand what you're going through, but trust me when I say, that the best thing you can do right now to deal with the pain, is to do what Master Splinter always does when he misses his family from the past."

Raph slid his eyes over to him. "…what does he do?" he asked quietly.

Leo smiled softly. "He focuses on the friends he's surrounded by right now; meaning us, April, Casey, Irma, and everyone else we've come to know. You still hang out with Casey a lot, don't you? You know you can always talk to him about anything, or just go 'bash some heads' with him, right?"

Raph looked to the side in thought. It was true; he and Casey had formed a strong bond with one another, the same time had found Spike in that barn over four months ago. Heck, he was like the twin(ish) brother he wished he had. He and the black haired human could do almost anything together, and whenever they went out, Raph felt all his anger and bitterness almost ebb away. Casey helped him channel or release his anger in a way that the others in his family couldn't. Casey understood him in a way that his brothers didn't.

They were best friends, just as he and Spike had been.

Leo held him closer slightly. "Don't hold all this inside yourself, Raph. Casey's there for you. We're _all_ here for you. Don't forget that, alright?"

Raph nodded, feeling a lump form in the back of his throat. Leo saw the tears starting to appear, just brimming in his eyes, but he said nothing of it.

He would let them fall in his own time.

Suddenly, a happy cry from the living room shattered the silence between them. It was Mikey; apparently they had a visitor. Leo turned back to Raph, his arm still wrapped around his shoulders. "You wanna come out yet?" he asked.

Raph shook his head. "…not yet. I'll come out later. Gimme a minute…"

Leo nodded, gently releasing Raph, gently patting his shoulder before he stood up to leave, but was stopped when Raph suddenly lashed out and gripped his wrist, making him turn back to him with a raised brow.

Raph refused to look at him, but he did manage to mutter something. "…thanks, man."

Leo smiled. "No problem. That's what brothers do," he said as Raph let go, and he exited his bedroom, shutting the door behind him as he went to go greet their visitor. Behind the shut door, Raph smiled.

Maybe his brothers did understand a little after all…


	2. Chapter 2: Plans and Promises

**A/N: Hey there everyone! Here we are with chapter 2! Sorry for the delay; had turtle drabbles to do! I hope you enjoy this, and yeah, you might recognize some characters from the third movie that i put in here! I OWN NOTHING!  
**

**Read, Rate and Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 2: Plans and Promises**

"Hurry up now, April! We can't miss our flight!"

"Hang on a second Aunt Robyn! I just have to say goodbye to dad! I'll be right down!" called the young red headed girl, April O'Neil as she hurriedly zipped her large yellow bag closed, with some difficulty, resulting in her having to sit on it to get it to close properly, before tugging it off her bed, grabbing her coat from her door hanger, and pulling the bag out of her room. She set it at the top of the stairs before heading to the kitchen, finding her father sat down at the table, a coffee cup in his hands as he waited for her. As soon as he turned and caught sight of her, a warm smile graced his lips as he stood up and spread his arms out to her. She smiled back, and she then came forwards, wrapping her arms around his waist as he hugged his daughter back with all the force he could muster.

"You sure you don't wanna come along, dad?" she asked, her voice muffled as she buried her face into his chest, "It won't be much fun without you."

Kirby O'Neil chuckled, kissing the top of his daughters' head. "I'm sorry April, but I can't go anywhere with this headache. Don't worry, I'll be fine. You deserve this vacation."

"It's not really a vacation, dad, just Aunt Robyn's way of treating me because I'm 'working too hard'," she joked, pulling back to look up at him and smiling, "going with her on a business trip isn't exactly what I'd call a vacation."

"But look on the bright side; at least you get to spend a few days in Japan! You could do a little bit of sightseeing, and maybe visit that boy, Keno, whilst you're at it. It'll be fun, April, trust me," he said, putting his hand on her shoulder, "Go out and have fun."

She smiled with a nod. Then hugged him one last time before going back into the hallway and tugging her heavy bag downstairs, through the bakery and out the door. "Bye dad! Love you!" she called, before getting into the car with her aunt.

However, they still had one more stop to take before going to the airport.

She had to visit some very important family of hers first.

* * *

"Come on, bag, we're almost there," April panted tiredly as she dragged her accursed bag with her across the damp floors of the sewers, her aunt helping as much as she could, but she had her own bags to carry as well. They had to hurry if they were going to catch that plane on time. But she couldn't leave without at least saying goodbye. They were just as much family to her than anyone.

At long last, she and her aunt caught sight of the familiar platform of the abandoned subway station, and she struggled up the stairs, and finally set her bag down over the turnstiles. "Guys! It's me!" she called.

Instantly, a blue eyed, freckled green face popped out from kitchen, and it broke out into a grin as he ran towards and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug, nuzzling his face into her chest as he swept her right off her feet, whooping with laughter. "Hey, sis!" he laughed as he finally set her down, before running over to Robyn and hugging her as well. "Hi Miss Aunt Robyn!"

Robyn giggled as she hugged the young turtle back. "Hey there, Michelangelo. Where are the others?" she asked, craning her neck to look around the room in search for the other three turtles.

Mikey then released her, rocking on his heels as he smiled. "Leo's talking to Raph in his room, and Donnie…"

_"April!"_

"…is right on cue!"

Donnie came stumbling out of his lab, his goggles on top of his head as he walked up to their two human visitors and sent them his usual gapped toothed grin. "H-hey April, Miss Robyn!" he said with a shy chuckle, before he was stunned into silence by April's sudden embrace, a mad blush covering his cheeks.

Next to him, Mikey began to laugh, just as Leo emerged from Raph's room, a smile on his face upon seeing the two familiar red heads stood at the turnstiles. He glanced back at Raph's door one last time, before heading over to April and her aunt. "Hey there," he grinned, "I thought you guys were going to be at the airport by now."

April smiled at him, dragging her bag and setting it down on the ground and unzipping it. "I couldn't leave for Japan without saying goodbye to my brothers!" she laughed.

"Whereabouts are you guys going? Tokyo?" Donnie asked as soon as he recovered from his embrace with April.

"No, actually we're going to a village that was built in the countryside in Kyoto," Robyn explained, "the company I work for told me that there was some kind of ancient artifact buried somewhere in that village, so they called me to go check it out. I decided to bring April with me, because she's working her little butt off trying to be a young reporter _and _a female ninja!"

April turned to her aunt and stuck her tongue out playfully, just as Master Splinter came in, followed by Raphael, who finally decided to emerge from his room. Leo turned, casting him a concerned glance, but Raph only answered with a faint smile and a thumbs up.

Leo smiled back. He was going to be okay.

"Please take us with you, April! _Pleeeeeeeease_?!" Mikey begged, clinging onto her arm as he batted his eyes dramatically up at his human sister.

April laughed, "You know I can't, Mikey, it's the same thing I told Casey and Irma before I left. But, we did buy you guys some things from the local Flea Market!" She then opened her bag to reveal several bags filled with presents for her mutant family, who began to crowd around her in excitement as she unloaded them.

She handed the bouncing orange clad turtle the orange spotted bag, filled with new comic books, and to his amusement, a colorful lamp shade. For Leonardo, she gave him one of her aunt's old books about Japanese weaponry, to which he was extremely grateful for. For Donatello, she handed over several new robotic parts for his latest project, which remained a secret from everybody, including April herself. For Splinter, Aunt Robyn bought him another tea set, and for Raphael, they decided to get him an old cowboy hat, something they thought would cheer him up a little, which to their surprise, it did. A little bit.

As the mutant family admired their gifts, April gazed upon them all with a sad smile. After spending so long with them, And after everything they had been through together in the past, having to leave them behind felt so…wrong. They were a part of each other's lives now; a family. And family shouldn't leave each other behind.

But of course, for _this_ side of the family, there wasn't much of a choice. Though, she would have loved to show them the place where their culture had arisen from. It would have been the adventure of a lifetime for them.

Robyn glanced at her watch. "Oh, April, we'd better get going! Our plane leaves in three hours!" she said, and the others quickly helped April zip her bag closed again (which was much easier to carry now with the massive weight finally unloaded) and she quickly aid her goodbyes, but when she reached Mikey, she only burst out laughing.

He had put the lamp shade on his head and had begun to swing his hips from side to side in what he deemed to be a hula dance.

"Thank ya'll very much, ladies and gentlemen!" he said, impersonating Elvis Presley.

The room filled with laughter from the teens. Robyn and Splinter only shared a look, then shook their heads with smiles on their faces. "Kids," they both sighed.

* * *

_Japan, 1603…._

Deep within the highest mountain, hidden deep inside the cave that he had called his home, the large, crocodilian creature lay on the cold stone ground his large, scaly body curled around a single, gleaming object in his hand. His dark eyes, filled with rage and grief, stared coldly at the scepter, cursing it under his breath.

He had heard the news floating around, hearing it from the travelers that walked passed his cave. Kenshin had been captured by the samurai. He had been taken to the headman, and when he discovered that he did not have the scepter, he was sentenced to death.

Kenshin was beheaded at dawn before the entire village.

His best, and only friend in the world, had died.

Now, all that he had left was the bitterness, this accursed scepter, and those fond memories he held of their time together. He had met young Kenshin when he was only a child, injured, lost and alone in the forests. He had just escaped those…those _creatures_ that had imprisoned him, and turned him into what he was to this very day, and he had come across the child, bleeding and crying in the shrubs from a bite wound on his leg; possibly caused by wolves.

Despite being a hideous creature, he had approached him. He had once been raised by a kind human boy in this same land, before he was cast out by his parents…

…that's when _they _found him.

He approached Kenshin, and to his surprise, he was not afraid of him. He even limped over to him, saying over and over again that he was some sort of forest spirit, sent down from the mountain to help him. Touched by this you lad's innocence and love, he took him to the nearest mountain, scaling it whilst holding the boy safely in his grip as he climbed, who put his trust in him completely, and he took shelter in the cave, where he bandaged up Kenshins' leg, and after the boy suddenly cuddled into him he curled his body around him in a protective circle and stayed with him.

When dawn came, he had helped the boy find his village and reunite with his family, but never stepping out from the forest. Kenshin promised him that he would visit his mountain whenever he could, which made him smile.

He kept his promise. And eventually, they formed an unbreakable bond, even as Kenshin grew older, and his life moved forward. Even after he met the woman he planned to be his wife, he still continued to climb all the way up this mountain just to see him, the 'spirit creature' of the mountain.

It warmed his heart every time he saw him. It made him feel like he wasn't alone anymore, that maybe in time, he would find more friends like Kenshin…

However, fate was never so kind.

The samurai that had returned from battle had found some sort of magical scepter from the enemy castle, which seemed to glow whenever it reached a certain part of the land. The village Headman, a man who was not known for his kindness or generosity, had presumed that somewhere beneath this land was a sacred treasure, and decided that he would level the entire village to obtain it. But before he could carry out his plan, Kenshin had overheard everything, and had stolen the scepter from the palace. He had gotten away, but not without a few injuries that the guards had given him before he ran into the forest, resulting in the chase…

…and then his untimely death.

His breath came out in a hiss as he sighed sadly, getting up to his feet as he made his way slowly to the entrance of the cave. This colossal reptile never usually left the safety of his cave unless to go hunting. But this time was an acceptation. Peering out of the mouth of the cave, looking left and right and sniffing the air, he cautiously exited the cave and began to climb down the steep mountain face; the same face Kenshin climbed up and down. He tried not to think about it, and set his mind on not slipping on the rocks.

When he reached the bottom, he took another moment to sniff the air again, before snaking his way silently through the forests, being mindful of the other animals that lived here as he tried not to destroy or crush any of their homes or burrows. After several minutes of walking, he finally reached his destination.

It was a small clearing surrounded by bushes, a spot of sunlight beaming through the trees as it shone down upon a single curved stone in the center of the clearing.

It was Kenshins' grave.

After his execution, they had tossed his headless body aside like waste. But his lover, Mitsu, had taken both his head and his body and buried it in the place where they had first met, giving her beloved a true burial. She had put flowers there, the same blue flowers he had always given her, and had carved him his own gravestone.

The alligator sighed, walking to the gravestone and kneeling down before it. A single tear made its way down his cheek, and it landed on the gravestone.

"My friend," he spoke softly, "I am sorry I could not protect you this time… I promised you, I would protect this scepter, and keep it safe, even at the cost of my life…but I cannot keep it with me. Someone is sure to find me. Instead, I will hide it somewhere that no one would dare to look for it…"

After his deed was done, he rose from the ground, and he turned away. "…farewell, my friend."

With that, he walked away, back towards his cave dwelling. He was unsure of what he would do now, with Kenshin gone and the scepter safely hidden, there was no need for him to stay here much longer…

Suddenly, he became aware that the forest had become uneasily silent. He too began to feel a chill run down his spine as his green eyes scanned the forest, a growl rising from his throat as he readied his claws.

Was it a samurai? Had he been discovered? What if he had seen him hide the scepter?

"_It is the one known as the mutant that has escaped the place which is known as the place of holding."_

His heart stopped, his blood froze, and his eyes grew wide.

No…not_ them._

He twisted his body around with an ear piercing roar, but it turned into one of pain as a metal stick was jabbed violently into his side, sending electricity pulsing painfully through his body. He fell limp to the ground, lying helplessly on the ground as his attackers gathered around him.

The last thing he saw before he lost consciousness were a pair of glowing purple eyes, and a cold metallic face…

* * *

_New York, Present Day_

The airport was busier and more crowded than usual when April O'Neil and her aunt arrived. It was just as difficult to get their flight tickets, find somewhere to sit whilst they waited for their plane to arrive, and even more difficult not to bump into someone as they walked, which was just what happened to Robyn as she practically rammed into a tall man wearing a business suit, knocking over his briefcase and spilling its contents. "Oh, Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry, sir!" she cried, bending over to help pick up his papers and personal items.

He only chuckled. "No, ma'am it's quite alright," he said as he collected his things and putting them back into his case.

He looked up to her and his face fell slightly. She looked at him and found him staring at her strangely. This mans' face appeared to have been burnt on the right side, but she dared not ask how he got that burn; probably something far too personal, and none of her business whatsoever. "Is…is there something wrong, mister?" she asked as they both stood up.

He shook his head. "Have we…have we perhaps met somewhere before?" he inquired.

Robyn shook her head with a shrug. "No, I don't think we have, sorry," she said with a smile.

He smiled back. "Yes, it must be my imagination," he chuckled, extending his hand for her to shake. "My name is Mr. Saki, it's nice to meet you."

Robyn shook his outstretched hand and smiled. "I'm Robyn, nice too meet you too Mr. Saki. Where are you headed off to, may I ask?"

"I am on a business trip to Japan. My employees say they have found something that could interest me."

"Oh really? What a coincidence! I'm going there myself for a business trip with my niece to Kyoto; a treat for her since she's always working so hard."

Mr. Saki chuckled again, "Indeed, a small world we live in, Miss Robyn."

"Aunt Robyn! Come on, our plane's here!" called a young girl from the other side of the crowded room. Both adults turned, and as Robyn called that she would be one moment, the man's eyes for a moment. But when she turned back to him, his face returned to normal.

"Well, I'd better get going! It was very nice to meet you, Mr. Saki," Robyn said, picking up her bags as she turned to leave.

Mr. Saki smiled and nodded. "Likewise, Miss Robyn," he called as she walked away to meet up with her red haired niece, "…likewise…"

His face darkened as he pulled out his phone and dialed a number, bringing the phone to his ear. "There has been a slight change of plans…we have another target…"

* * *

After what seemed like an eternity, the two O'Neil's finally made it onto the plane, able to catch their breath as they found their seats and sat back and relax as the plane took off, soaring into the air as they set course for Japan. The skies had already darkened by the time the plane set off, and April gazed out to look upon the lights that shone in the nighttime city.

However, as April looked out of the window, her blue eyes widened to the size of saucers as she let out a gasp.

If not for her ninja training, she would not have seen the four green figures, and a taller, black clothed figure, hidden on top of one of the control towers, waving at her from where they sat in the shadows. She waved back, and laughed as they caught sight of her and began to wave harder. She could see Mikey bouncing up and down, Raph slinging his arm around him and giving him a noogie as he sent her a salute, Leo waving at her with a grin on his face, Casey Jones thrusting his fist into the air, and Donnie yelling something that she obviously couldn't hear, but she read his lips;

"Be safe, April! We'll miss you!"

April smiled, feeling tears prick her eyes as she watched them disappear one by one. They had all gone to all that trouble, probably breaking a lot of rules, just to come out and bid her farewell.

Another thing to add to the ever growing list of why she loved Casey and her turtle brothers so much; they always went to great lengths just to make sure that she was okay and happy, and they have yet to fail her.

She was going to miss them a lot.

She felt an arm come around her shoulders as her aunt pulled her to rest her head on her shoulder. "I know you'll miss them, sweetheart," she said softly, kissing the top of her head, "but you'll be back before you know it. And when you do, you can tell them what a good time you had."

April smiled. "Yeah…but I just wish they could come to live it with me…" she sighed.

"I know, baby," Robyn sighed also, pulling out a blanket and wrapping it around them both. "Let's get some rest. It'll be a while before we reach Japan."

"Kay," April mumbled as she nuzzled against her Aunt's shoulder, closing her eyes as she let out a tired yawn.

Three seats behind them on the opposite side of the row, a man was watching them both with an intense glare. He took out his phone, and discreetly snapped picture of them both.

April felt something tingle in her brain, making her wince slightly as she put a hand to her temples. What was that? If felt like –

Someone was watching them.

She turned her head sharply, but found no one watching them. Everyone was either reading, listening to music, or sleeping. Shaking her head, she lay back down.

It was probably nothing.

* * *

There were some places in Japan that were not like the other highly advanced cities like Tokyo. Some preferred a lifestyle that was much quieter and simpler, similar to the ways their ancestors lived many years ago. There was one such village that lay in the countryside of Kyoto, a village with traditional Japanese houses, shops, and many other tourist attractions. Some of the villagers even chose to wear simple kimonos whilst they were out and about doing their daily businesses. Of course, this village was not without some of the basic modern necessities such as electricity, phones, televisions and other modern things that were needed nowadays in order for the people to thrive. And they were not without law and order either; policemen patrolled the streets at nights and during the daytime, and the village even had their own Headman, who lived in a grand estate farther away from the village, built on the edge of a high cliff that stood over the ocean.

The name of this Headman was Lord Norinaga, named after his great ancestor back in Feudal times. He was a man full of pride as well as of himself, and was not known for his kindness; he was a rather corrupt man, caring little about the well-being of his village and more about his own personal wealth and gain. Even now, as he sat in his small yet very grand room at a table, sipping upon the finest tea, he was conversing with a fair-haired haired British dealer, named Walker, and were both discussing something that could possibly bring disaster upon the lives of the villagers.

But then again, why would he care? All the villagers did was deliver him their tax payments, draw in tourists, and send him constant complaints. Whatever deal Walker had planned, it was sure to bring him more money than whatever the villagers

"So, Walker-san," Norinaga mused, setting down his cup as he folded his hand on his lap and sat back on his chair, "what do you propose we go about finding this so-called, 'scepter' you have discovered?"

Walker smiled conceitedly, leaning forwards as he rested his elbows on his knees. "Well, Norinaga-sama," he explained, "we know that the scepter is buried somewhere within your little village, yes? Well, let's say we dig up your village, find the scepter, which would lead us to the mineral that is found deep within the grounds of this very countryside."

Norinaga raised a brow. "Mineral, you say? What kind of mineral?"

Walker shrugged, "Well, let's just say that this mineral that had been buried deep within the ground would be powerful enough to power almost anything; say a mere flash light, a high tech cannon…a city on the moon, perhaps. It would be worth more money than you can imagine if we find it and bring it to our employer...he would be most pleased with the both of us…" Walker grinned, holding out his hand. "Do we have a deal, Norinaga?"

Norinaga contemplated for a moment. Then, with a sadistic grin, he extended his hand to shake Walkers'. "_Hai _Walker-san, we have a deal."

"Oh excellent!" Walker said with a flourish, standing up as Norinaga did so, "Expect my men to be setting camps around the village perimeter and inside the estate by tomorrow morning. Oh, and we'll evict the villagers from the premises before we begin; we'll make sure no one else finds out about our little secret. If we find anyone suspicious or someone who knows about our plan, we lock them away or send them to one of our camps. We don't need any casualties, now do we?" he smirked coldly.

Just then, his phone began to vibrate in Walkers', indicating that he had a message. He took it out and opened the message. Another grin found its way onto his face. "Say, do you remember that 'other target' I had told you about?"

Norinaga nodded. "Yes. It was a bout a girl of some sort, yes?"

Walker turned the phone to show him; a picture of a red haired girl on a plane.

"She's on her way here. It seems as though we can 'kill two birds with one stone', as they say…"


	3. Chapter 3: To Japan We Go!

**A/N: Sorry for the long delay, writers block is an ass. **

**I hope you enjoy this one! Also BTW, I do ship MikeyXIrma, just so you know. I think they'd be so cute together!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 3: To Japan We Go**

April O'Neil had only ever had a faint impression of what it would have been like to be in Japan from what she had read on the internet and in books, but they were nothing compared to the real life experience.

As soon as she and her aunt stepped out of the taxi, and into the city, they were both awestruck at their surroundings. April was met with so many colors, smells, friendly faces and delicious food that made her mouth water for more. Everywhere she looked, she was surrounded by tall buildings that seemed to touch the blue skies, and most of all, the most beautiful trees she had ever laid eyes upon.

Even though she felt like a completely stereotypical tourist, she couldn't help but start taking pictures and buying all sorts of merchandise; she had to bring _something_ back for her brothers! This city was even bigger, brighter than and just as busy as New York was, and for the city known worldwide as the one that never slept, that was really saying something.

Robyn couldn't help but take in the sights as well; this truly was a beautiful place to be, being enveloped in different sights, colors and cultures. The turtles and Splinter had shared some of their traditional holidays with them, such as Oshōgatsu, which was what they called their Japanese New Year's (which proved to be yet another amazing night,) but that was as close as they ever got to real Japanese customs. If it weren't for her job, she would definitely have stayed her for longer.

And April finally seemed to be enjoying herself.

Of course, she knew that the young teenager probably still missed her brothers back in New York just as much as they were undoubtedly missing her, but now she looked as if she were finally relaxing, not having to worry about anything for the time being; no robot ninjas, no evil mutants, and no alien brains in robot bodies could touch her here.

She deserved this, and they all knew she did too.

After some shopping and sightseeing, and paying a quick surprise visit to Keno's house, catching up on old times and how the turtles were doing, April and Robyn made their way to the countryside, to the village where the ancient artefact was supposed to be buried.

They found it fairly astonishing that this village was set up like the traditional villages back hundreds of years ago, but still had access to modern technology. It may have just been for tourist attractions, but strangely enough, April felt quite at home in a place like this, having spent so much time with five Japanese family members.

However, strangely enough, the village appeared to be empty. Very few people were walking around at all, and if they were, they kept giving her strange stares, almost as they somehow seemed to recognize her…

Gathering the tools she needed, Robyn and some of her colleagues that worked here in Japan made their way down into the forest that the village was built next to. The residents called it 'Kenshin's Forest', naming it after a convict guilty of stealing and burying the exact same artefact back in the sixteen-hundreds, who was then beheaded for his crimes against their Headman and their God, The Serpent Spirit of the Mountain.

When they had arrived at the area, Robyn's team closed it off and began to dig. April tagged along, but she couldn't help with the digging, due to it being up to professionals only, but she was free to watch and roam around the forest, just so long as she didn't wander too far away from the group.

As April trekked her way through thick bushes and shrubs, she soon found herself in the center of a small clearing where the sun shone down upon a simple stone. Curious, she knelt down in front of it, running her hand softly across the engraved Japanese symbols. From what she remembered from Leo's brief lessons in Japanese, she could just read the faded words.

"…In…living – no, no, _loving_…m-memory of…Kenshin?" she read aloud, quirking her brow slightly. Wasn't Kenshin a convict? Or maybe, as happens in History, the story may have been slightly altered, making this Kenshin person seem like dirty thief, when in reality, he could have been doing something right…

Or maybe, somebody who loved him enough to forgive him buried him here…

She was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of slight cheering from the dig site. They must have found it. Before she stood up, however, she turned back to the grave and gave a low bow.

"If someone loved this person enough to bury them like this, then they couldn't have been all that bad, could they?" she said to herself, before getting up and walking back to where her aunt and her team were currently marveling at their discovery.

However, as they began to wrap up the artifact and set off back towards the village, they had all failed to notice that they were being watched from behind the bushes…

* * *

The next morning, April and Robyn unwrapped the artifact and lay it out on the floor in their Japanese hotel room. The digging team had entrusted it to Robyn for her to keep safe before they were able to safely ship it back to New York within the next few hours or days, and Robyn couldn't have been happier.

"Isn't this just amazing, April?" Robyn O'Neil mused aloud as she sat on her Japanese futon, gazing down at the artifact that they had found; it was a long, silver, slightly muddied metallic scepter, with a shining jewel-like stone that sat upon its top. It was amazing that even after hundreds of years, it still seemed to glisten in the light like a new diamond ring.

April crawled her way over to her aunt's side as she too looked down at the scepter in awe. They were both wearing traditional Japanese kimonos used for sleepwear, which was not all that easy to move around in, but they were still pretty comfortable. The artefact was truly something to behold; being buried beneath the earth for hundreds of years, and still being in near perfect condition. It was almost as if it were buried just yesterday…

She wondered, if the fact that it was buried close to the grave of the so-called thief who had taken it was merely coincidence, or there was another special reason behind it.

"Just what was this scepter for anyways?" she asked, quirking a brow in confusion, "It looks like nothing more than a piece of decoration or something."

"Your guess is as good as mine, sweetheart," Robyn shrugged with a smile, "I was told by my boss that the villagers that came from this village many years ago believed that it held some kind of spiritual power, brought down by the god of their village, The Serpent Spirit. It's probably just a legend, but I bet it's worth a lot of money."

As April stared at the scepter, she suddenly felt an odd feeling come over her; that same tingling feeling in her brain when she felt that someone was watching her. She let out a groan of pain as she held her pounding head in her hands. Robyn was immediately beside her, putting the scepter down gently as she put her hands on her niece's shoulders. "April, sweetheart, are you alright?" she asked worriedly.

"I-I'm fine," April stuttered, "I-It's just…m-my head…"

Suddenly, the pounding stopped. Her eyes widened and her pupils dilated.

"Aunt Robyn…we're not alone…"

* * *

Back in New York, Donatello looked through his telescope, staring intently down at the building below them as he zoomed in on the metal garage door. The air was still rather chilly, being it in the middle of February, but their older brother and leader said that despite the chill, it was their duty to patrol the city and scout for any signs of mutant, Foot or Kraang activity.

They had gotten a tip off from Irma, April's best friend, that she had been keeping track of the Kraang for them whilst April was in Japan. From what she had gathered together both from gossip on the internet and recent news reports of stolen property from labs dotted all over the city, the Kraang were planning on breaking into this very lab that night. However so far, nothing was happening, and the four boys had been sat out here for the better half of an hour waiting for them to show up, and needless, they were beginning to grow bored and tired.

And for Raphael and Michelangelo, this was proving to become a problem for two turtles that couldn't stay still for more than five minutes.

"Anything yet, Donnie?" Leonardo asked, moving to stand next to his taller brother as he looked down at the garage door below.

Donnie shook his head. "Nothing yet," he sighed. This was taking a little too long. He never doubted Irma's judgment, but he really hoped that she hadn't miscalculated. She _did_ have a tendency to be slightly off with certain assumptions sometimes.

Behind them on the opposite side of the rooftop, Mikey was sat on top of a small chimney, poking Raph's head and laughing. Sitting with his arms crossed and his eyes closed, Raph repeatedly smacked his hand away automatically, trying to keep his temper this time.

What Leo had told him the other day had put his tangled mind at ease slightly, but not so much for his bad temper. He tried to remain calm over the past few days, even now as Mikey continued to poke him, and he continued to slap him away, over…

And over…

And _over…._

Raph finally reached up and twisted Mikey's finger, making him yelp in pain and suck on his sore finger.

"Guys!" Leo hissed, "When ninjas are on surveillance, they are supposed to be _silent!"_

"Sorry, Leo," Mikey whispered back, looking back down at Raph with a smirk, "I'll scream quieter!" He then lifted his finger, and with a giggle, he poked Raph's head again.

That proved to be a very fatal mistake on Mikey's part as Raph's temper finally snapped.

With a feral growl, he grabbed Mikey and flipped him to the ground onto his shell, and before he could scramble to his feet, Raph grabbed him again and forced him into a headlock. "Say it!" he growled.

"_Raph!" _ Leo hissed again, angrier this time, "Be. _Quiet!"_

"Not 'till Mikey says it!" Raph barked, squeezing Mikey tighter in his grip.

Mikey choked before forcing out, "Raphael is all wise and powerful!"

Raph squeezed again. "Aaaand?"

Mikey struggled, but of course with Raph being his captor, he was going nowhere. "And he's better than me in every possible way!"

Raph grinned as he forced Mikey to the floor. "_Aaaaaand?!"_

"And I'm a lowly worm beneath his feet who isn't fit to live on the same planet as him because he's so amazing and I'm a dork clod!" Mikey cried without pausing to take a breath.

Then to the freckled turtles' horror, Raph then licked his finger, and poised it over Mikey's head. "**_Aaaaaand?!"_**

Mikey whimpered, "And in the history of the whole universe there's never been –"

"Okay, _enough!" _ Leo growled, his own patience wearing thin. Raph rolled his eyes and released Mikey from his mercy, who sighed dramatically in relief as he was finally freed.

"We're wasting our time, Leo!" Raph complained, "The Kraang aren't gonna show up!"

Leo rolled his eyes in exasperation. "Have a little patience will you?" he sighed, which was ironic, considering that he was losing patience with everything in general himself.

"Trust me, guys," Donnie reassured, "The Kraang are gonna break into that lab tonight. I have reliable intel!"

"Intel?" Raph smirked, casting a sly look at Mikey, "You mean, Mikey's _girlfriend_ told you?"

Mikey's face began to turn a very bright shade of scarlet as all eyes were on him, his brothers smirking at him as he pouted in embarrassment. "She's not my girlfriend!" he argued, crossing his arms over his chest as he turned away from them, trying to ignore their snickering.

Truth be told, Mikey in fact _did _have a little crush on Irma Langinstien. She may have been a bit of a nerd like his older brother Donnie,(and the two did get on very well because of it) but Mikey personally found her to be quite adorable. She was fun to hang out with, and she loved video games as well as pizza (though she rather have Gluten Free pizza, not that he really knew what that meant) but still, pizza was pizza!

She was smart and she had her little goofed up moments, like the time she tried to make a cake with Mikey and Leo; with the three of them combined, they had almost covered the entire kitchen with exploded cake. But instead of getting frustrated, Irma only responded with a "Whoops!", which then turned into a laugh as the three of them fell into hysterics. And she had a cute little laugh.

Mikey couldn't lie to himself that he was smitten with her, but he would never dare say that out loud, not to Irma. If anything, she probably liked Donnie more than him. Sure, they hung out an awful lot, and they always had fun together, but she also really liked to hang out with Donnie; the two of them bonded almost straight away after they were officially introduced to her.

But then again, Donnie liked April…who also liked Casey…

Boy, Leo was right; relationships really _are _complicated.

"Dude, we already know that you totally like her, it's just as obvious as Dork-a-tello's crush on April!" Raph teased his youngest brother, clearly enjoying this.

"Hey!" Donnie cried defensivley.

Mikey continued to ignore them as Leo smirked, putting a hand on his little brothers' shoulder. "It's not such a bad thing, Mikey. We're teenagers, it's only natural that we end up liking someone. I mean, I think Irma's pretty cute, too!"

"…easy for _you_ to say, Leo," Mikey pouted, "You've _got_ a girlfriend!"

Leo grinned, remembering the black haired kunoichi that he had begun dating months ago. "Yes. Yes I do," he said smugly, then his face fell in thought, "Actually, now that you mention her, I haven't actually seen or heard from her in a while. I wonder if she's doing okay?"

"She probably ditched you for your nerdy-ness!" Raph mocked, earning a playful shove from Leo.

Donnie shook his head, clearing his throat to gain his brothers' attention before another pointless argument could ensue. "Um, guys, can we get back on track here? The Kraang are gonna break into that lab soon, and we need to be ready to stop them!"

"Or we'll just sit on a cold roof all night for no reason," Raph droned, "face it Leo, we're gonna need another plan, because sitting up here with our thumbs up our noses is _pointless!"_

Leo looked down to the streets, and a knowing smile found its way across his lips. "You sure about that, Raph?" he asked.

Raph's face fell as he heard the sound of tires coming to a stop next to the lab. "They just showed up, didn't they?"

"Yep," Donnie smirked.

"…I should've complained two hours ago."

* * *

Infiltrating the laboratory was not too difficult for the four highly trained ninjas as they easily bypassed Kraang security and took out the cameras around the building, and they stood silently above the secret Kraang operation, watching from the support beams of the lab as the Kraang droids marched on, unaware of their presence.

Leo reached back and prepared to unsheathe his katana as he turned to his brothers. "Okay," he whispered, "we have to be quiet."

Donnie rolled his eyes. "Do you have to say that _every time?_" he murmured, "we're ninjas! We _know_ how to be quiet!"

Suddenly a loud, almost ear-piercing ringtone echoed inside the building, causing all Kraang to stop and look up.

Donnie's face heated up as he looked down at his belt, where his T-Phone was tucked in as it rang out loud. Leo and Raph stared at him with wide eyes and gaping mouths.

"_Ooooooh," _Mikey hissed, "_that _is embarrassing!"

"Kraang, the place known as the lab has been compromised by the ones known as the turtles who are turtles," one Kraang said to the other next to him as they prepared their laser guns, pointing them up at the turtles.

"Stop the ones that are needing to be stopped! Stop!" another Kraang cried as they opened fire upon the four ninjas, who all leapt out of the way and attacked as Donnie answered his T-Phone. It was April.

"April, hi!" he cried as he jumped and flipped out of the way of Kraang fire, ducking to the side as his brothers fought them off as best as they could, "I'm happy to hear from you again, but now's not a great time!"

However, he was confused to find that it was not April's voice on the other side of the line, but it was her Aunt's instead. It was breathless, but heavy with fear and panic.

"_Donatello, it's me, Robyn! Something bad happened last night! W-we were just in our hotel room, b-but then these men burst through the doors and windows and attacked us! A-April pulled out her fan and told me to run with the scepter and go find Keno's place, b-but I couldn't leave her! But s-she pushed me into the bathroom and locked the door! I couldn't get out! By the time I was able to break the door down, our room was destroyed and April was gone! I had no choice but to run with the scepter and find help, but the village is empty! Luckily she left her phone in her bag, so the first thing I did was run into the forest and call you! I'm sorry! I have no idea what to do or where to go!" _

Donnie's heart froze in his chest.

April was kidnapped?

In _Japan?! _

Where she was_ supposed _to be_ **safe?! **_

Despite the fear racing through him and the horrible thoughts that had manifested inside his head, Donnie tried to calm himself down as he spoke into the phone again. "Miss Robyn, please, try and calm yourself. Where are you now?" he asked, surprised to find that his voice sounded so collected.

"_I-I'm in the forest! It was the only place I knew where to go!"_

"Okay, stay hidden, find some help or call someone. We'll figure something out. I promise you, Miss O'Neil, you and April re gonna be fine, I swear –"

He was cut off as Leo rammed himself into his side, knocking him out of the way of an oncoming Kraang robot before it could touch him. The two rolled across the floor, ending p with Leonardo on top of Donnie as he looked down at him to see if he was alright, but Donnie only held up the phone, though the connection had already been cut off, "Leo, April and Robyn are in danger! April was kidnapped!" he cried.

Leo's eyes widened in fear, "_WHAT?!" _he cried, "By who?!"

"Robyn doesn't know who they were, but they were after April and this 'scepter' thing they found – _LOOK OUT!" _Donnie rolled Leo and himself out of the way of more Kraang fire, and now Donnie was above Leo. "Leo, we've gotta do something!" he panicked.

Raph and Mikey heard what Donnie had said as they destroyed the last of the Kraang bots, their eyes widening as they shared a scared glance.

"April's in trouble?!" Raph barked, scowling angrily, "She was _kidnapped?_!"

"B-but she's all the way in Japan!" Mikey cried, "What can we do?!"

Leo and Donnie stood up, and Leo put a finger to his chin, trying to keep his thoughts and nerves under control. Their adoptive sister and her aunt were in danger, but they were too far away to do anything that could possibly save them.

There was only one option, but it was far too extreme and dangerous, even for them.

His younger brothers gathered around him, anxiously awaiting his answer. Leo nodded once, looking back to Donnie. "Did Robyn tell you where she was?" he asked calmly.

Donnie nodded, "Yeah. She said she was still somewhere near the village when she called me with April's T-Phone. I could probably track it and find its exact location if I hook it up to the computer."

Leo nodded. "Well, first things first, we need to talk to Splinter. Let's get out of here!" he ordered, and the four brothers quickly fled the building, leaving destroyed Kraang droids littered across the area in their wake.

However, one slightly functioning Kraang droid looked up from where it lay to another Kraang, one without a body, and said, "The one known as April O'Neil has been captured in the place that is known as Japan by the ones that work under the one known as Walker. The plan that is the plan of Kraang and the one called Shredder is going according to plan."

The bodiless Kraang grinned devilishly in response.

* * *

Master Splinter knew that something was amiss when he heard the sounds of his running past the turnstiles, calling his name and not stopping until they entered the dojo, panting breathlessly and all of them blubbering things so quickly that he could not understand a single word.

"Boys! Calm yourselves, my sons," he called. They immediately calmed themselves down enough to sit down and tell him what had happened.

And what he heard was not at all what he wanted to hear.

At the news that the young girl that he had come to see as a daughter had been abducted in the night, far away in his old homeland made his heart sink and his blood run cold. He already had a feeling that he knew who was behind this. There was only one man that would be able to accomplish this. That was until Donatello mentioned that the attackers were also after some kind of scepter.

What would The Shredder want with a scepter?

However, he was pulled from his thoughts when the frightened voice of his youngest son spoke up. "Sensei, what do we do now?" Michelangelo asked.

He looked down at all of his sons, and saw that they all had the same fear in their eyes.

He turned away for a moment. Two people that they saw as family were in danger in another country, but despite the danger, despite the chance that they could easily be discovered by the humans, the were more than willing to go beyond that, to do anything to save them, even if it meant that their lives would be destroyed if they were discovered…

But was that a risk the _he _was willing to let them take?

His gaze moved to the black and white photo of his wife and daughter, before The Shredder had taken them both away from him. Was he willing to let his sons go out and journey to his native land, the place where his life as a human was destroyed? They were all that he had left. If he lost them now, he would not be able to go on…

But he knew, deep within his heart, that if he had the ability, he would have saved them both that day. He would have given up his own life to save those of his beloved Tang Shen, and his little Miwa…

His sons were more than ready to jump into the unknown and do the same for April, the sister they loved.

But they were not going to be alone.

With a firm nod and his decision fixed in his mind, he turned back to his kneeling sons. This would be one of the most dangerous things that they had ever done, and quite possibly the last, but whether he liked it or not, April and her Aunt were family now. And they would risk anything and everything for their family.

"My sons," Splinter declared, "you must go and prepare yourselves, for tonight, we leave for Japan."

The turtles gasped as their eyes grew wide.

"W-what?! Really, Sensei?" Leonardo cried, bolting to his feet as his brothers followed suit, "But, how are we gonna pull this off?"

"Yeah, what if we're spotted or something?!" Raph barked.

Splinter folded his hands behind his back as he continued to look down at his sons calmly. "April and Miss Robyn are in danger, and as you have all said many times in the past, they are a part of our family. We must put a stop to whatever scheme these people have in store, and rescue them both. And the only way we can do that is if we journey to Kyoto to do so. Besides…"

He put a hand on Leonardo's shoulder and smiled. "We are ninja. We will blend in nicely in Japan."

That seemed to ease the tension in them all as they began to grin, nodding at him confidently.

With everything said and done, the mutant family went out and prepared themselves. For the first time ever, the turtles were going to travel farther from the safety of the sewers than ever before.

Tonight, they were going to the land of their fathers' birth; Japan.


	4. Chapter 4: Family

**A/N: Sorry for the wait again! Here is chapter four everyone! Sorry it's a little short but hey, I didn't want it to drag on for too long! I OWN NOTHING, THESE CHARACTERS ARE NOT MINE!  
**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 4: Family**

As she finally opened her eyes, and the world came into blurry focus around her, April O'Neil was aware of three things;

One; she was lying down on a cold hard surface, and her wrists were tied firmly behind her back, prohibiting much movement. Two; her head hurt like one of Raphael's back kicks, and that was seriously saying something. And Three; she was no longer in her Japanese pajamas, but was now wearing a simple hakama, with a yellow top and green bottoms, and she was also wearing tabi socks that felt weird on her feet as she wriggled her toes to get the numbness out.

She shuddered slightly at the thought of how she got that on if she was unconscious this whole time, but brushed it aside as an afterthought. She needed to know where she was and then find a way out of it.

Without the use of her hands, getting up from the floor proved to be less than an easy task, but eventually, she was able to get herself into a sitting position, and her sight became clear again as she was finally able to get a good look around her. She was in some kind of dark, cold and slightly smelly prison cell, with rows of other cells stretching down the hall. She was the only one that occupied this cell, but as scooted closer to the wooden bars of her cell, she found that she was not the only one down here. The other cells on either side and across from her were full of other people…

But she realized with a small gasp that there were not just adults that occupied these cells. She could see children as well, little boys and girls clinging to their parents as they cried. She even caught sight of a few mothers with babies, all of them crammed into those tiny cells. Their feet were also chained to the walls and floors, and they looked as if they had all been down here for a while.

These were the missing villagers!

April's face hardened with a glare. This was horrible. Keeping people locked up in cages like animals; it was inhumane! Who would do such a thing?!

The sound of rattling keys and a door opening averted her attention to the far side of the hallway, and the door opened to reveal three men, dressed in dirty baggy clothing, walked smugly down the aisle, laughing and mocking the prisoners as they passed, and April immediately hated them. And it didn't help that they stopped at her cell, looking down at her with disgusting grins as she glared up at them.

"Hello, poppet!" one of them hooted. He was a balding, potbellied man with gold tooth, and a dirty look in his eye. "Remember me?" he mocked.

"No, but with a face like that I don't know why I didn't," April spat.

The man's expression dropped to a scowl, and his two friends laughed at him before he shut them both up with two smacks to the head. He looked back down at her. "We met last night, remember? You put up a hell of a fight, you did. Got me and my mates some good scars with that fancy fan of yours."

It was then that April remembered them. They were the three men that attacked her and her aunt last night. They came crashing through the window and tried to grab them, but April was prepared, and oh so thankful that she had remembered to carry her Tessen with her. Her aunt protested firmly when she told her to run, so she had no choice but to shove her in the bathroom and locked the door, leaving her with the three men to fight off on her own. To say that the fight was short would be an understatement, but then the reinforcements arrived; several Japanese men with ninja weapons of their own.

How fitting.

They were good fighters, but April managed to take a few of them down before they overwhelmed her, tackling her to the ground before knocking her out cold. Now here she was, tied up and locked up in a cell at the mercy of three perverted British men.

But wait…if she was here…then where was her Aunt Robyn?

April let out a growl as she glared back up at the potbellied man. "Where is my aunt?! What do you want from me?! Why are all these people locked up down here?!" she seethed.

The three of them just laughed. "We'll be the one asking the questions, love," the tall skinny one behind him grinned, pushing past the fat one as he pulled out the keys and unlocked the door, "so how's about we go and take you to 'The Big Man', eh?" he snickered, grabbing April roughly by her arm as he pulled her to her feet, dragging her out of her cell and down the path of cells.

She cast a gaze behind her, and saw that all the village people were watching them leave. She looked upon them sadly. "I'll find a way to get you all out of here, I promise!" she called over her shoulder. She didn't know if they understood her, and probably never would as they closed the door behind them and continued to pull her down a long hallway. She struggled out of the skinny one's grip and growled, "I can walk by myself you know!"

The men looked to each other with raised bows, and then shoved her forwards. "Well, start walking!" the fat one barked.

April rolled her eyes and huffed under her breath as she continued forwards, looking around her as she walked. There was not much to look at, apart from the polished floors and white walls of the hallways, decorated with intricate Japanese paintings of samurai and evil spirits, which made April shudder slightly at the vividness of them.

She was then tugged by her arm sharply to the right, and pushed onto her knees through a sliding door and into a large room. Brown tatami mats covered the floor, and the brown sliding doors were covered in paintings of inked trees. In the center of the room, kneeling behind a small table, wearing a very formal haori and hakama, was Lord Norinaga. He stared at April, stroking his beard as he gazed upon her like a prize.

She had only just met him, but already April despised him.

He smirked at her little scowl and set his tea cup down. "Welcome, Miss O'Neil, to my humble home," Norinaga greeted, "there is no need to fear; I will not harm you. That, I promise."

Well, at least he could speak English. Then he would understand all the unpleasant insults that she had planned to give him. "Clearly," April growled sarcastically, "having your men break into my hotel room, beat me up, drag me here, tie me up and throw me into a rotten cell isn't at all painful."

Norinaga chuckled darkly. "Well, if you had just co-operated, no harm would have come to you at all, but I must say, from what my men have told me, I am impressed by your fighting skills; a sweet blossom like yourself should not be –"

"I don't care who you are or what you think of me, so shut up and get to the part where you tell me what you want from me!" April barked. Creepy old man…

Norinaga's expression turned foul as he rose from his seat and walked towards her. April hadn't been aware that he was wearing a sword in his belt, and she turned cold. Weren't swords banned since the Meiji Era?! Did he plan on killing her?!

He stopped and kneeled in front of her, looking her dead in the eyes. "Tell me, young blossom," he began slowly, "where is the scepter you found in the forest?"

April quirked a brow, leaning away from him slightly as she caught a whiff of his not-so-pleasant breath. "The scepter? Is _that _what you wanted?" she queried, "I have no idea what that thing is or what it does, and I don't know where it is. Why is it so special to you anyways?"

Norinaga only scowled in response. "Do not lie to me, child. Where is the scepter?" he demanded again.

"I'm not lying!" April barked, "All I know is that it was my Aunt's job to find it, nothing else!"

Norinaga stood up, grasping the handle of his sword. "Do you think I do not know that deception is the kunoichi's most powerful weapon? Do not think I will not hesitate to kill you!" he seethed.

April shrunk backwards as Norinaga began to unsheathe his sword.

"Norinaga-sama, Please! There is no need for that!"

April spun her head around to find a tall, blonde haired man leaning smugly on the door frame, his arms folded as he watched them. Norinaga let out a low grumble as he sheathed his sword again, folding his hands behind his back as he glared down at April, who glared right back. "What do you propose we do then, Walker-san?" Norinaga inquired.

The British man known as Walker smirked as he came off the door frame and walked to stand in front of April. "Well, it's obvious that she really doesn't know where the scepter is, seeing as her aunt had run away with it after she was taken."

April's eyes widened. Her aunt ran away? Obviously she was going to get help, but the village was empty, and the nearest town was miles away. Where could she have gone, with the scepter in her possession?

Walker knelt down before April and smirked. "So tell me this, Miss O'Neil," he probed, "what do you have that is so special to our employers, hmm? Do you have some secret weapon, or an object that they're after…or is it just you they want?"

Now April was really confused. Who wanted her? What was this guy talking about? Who were their 'employers'...?

It only just registered then that they knew her name, and she gasped. "Wait, how do you know my name? Who are your employers? What do they want with me?" she fumed. Why was everyone always after her?

Walker only chuckled, "You ask a lot of questions, don't you little miss?" he mocked, standing up. "How about this, then; tell us where you _think_ the scepter would be, or we will make sure you and your precious aunt will suffer. We can't kill _you_, because you are far too valuable. Your aunt, on the other hand…"

April turned pale at the thought of what these monsters would do. Robyn was the closest thing she had to a mother ever since her real mother died years ago. She couldn't bear to lose her too, or anyone else. Despite how hard she tried to fight it, tears stung her eyes as she glared up at them both. "I told you, I don't know anything! Just let me go!" she cried.

Norinaga huffed. "Then you are useless to us at this time. Walker, have your men take her down to the lower prison cells; the others are nearly full." And he walked past them both and into the hallway, disappearing from sight.

April hung her head low as she let a tear fall.

This was proving to be the worst vacation ever.

* * *

In all her years on this job, Robyn O'Neil had never once thought that she would have been caught up in something like this; lost, alone, cold and dirty in the middle of a forest in Japan. Her niece's phone had died hours ago, so calling for help was no longer an option, not that she could get a decent signal anymore.

And April, her poor, precious little niece. Where had those people taken her? Was she still alive? She should have tried harder to protect her, not the other way around…

Robyn looked down at the scepter she held in her quivering arms. Those thieves that had crashed into their room had said that they wanted it, but before they could take it, April had locked her in the bathroom. What did they want with this scepter? There was nothing special about it whatsoever –

Her thoughts were interrupted when the tip of the scepter began to glow, and she let out a little gasp. It was only a minor flicker, but it was enough to grab Robyn's attention as she held it out in front of her, and began to walk straight ahead, using the gleam to light her path.

Her eyes grew wide as the glow slowly became more intense the further she walked. Whenever she stepped in a different direction, the scepter's light dimmed, so she continued on her current path, the scepter growing brighter and brighter.

Maybe she was wrong. Maybe this scepter really did have mystical powers. Then again, with everything that had been happening in New York, why wouldn't she believe this?

Maybe this was the reason those men were after it; it was like a guide to something much bigger…

"…_hello there, poppet!"_

Robyn's shriek of terror was muffled by a hand over her mouth as she was dragged away into the darkness.

* * *

The abandoned subway station was bustling with activity that late night with the mutant family rushing around their home, gearing up for their first ever trip abroad. The four turtle boys were undeniably excited to be going to Japan, the very land of the birth of ninjitsu, but they also feared for the safety of their adoptive sister, April.

Master Splinter himself was anxious for her welfare, as well as that of his sons. The fear of being discovered was still pulsing through him, and as a mutant himself as well as a father of four, it was something that would not go away, not until all of this was resolved, and they were safely home again.

As the others piled small bags of tools and other things they would need in the center of the pit, including food, Donatello came running out of his lab with his laptop in hand. "Guys! I've just found the earliest and safest mode of transportation we can take!" he declared.

Leonardo and Michelangelo gathered around him whilst Raphael continued to help Splinter with the supplies. "What did you find, Don?" Leo asked, looking at the computer screen.

Donnie smiled, pulling up an image of a large ship on his computer. "We'll go by boat!"

Leo and Mikey's faces dropped comically. Even Splinter and Raph took a moment to stop and stare at Donnie, who quirked a confused brow and shrugged. "What?"

Leo pinched the bridge of his beak and patiently closed his eyes. "Donnie, you do realize that going on _cruise ship_ is _not _ the safest mode of transportation, right?"

"Yeah," Mikey piped in, "Didn't you see the movie, bro? The ship sinks and they all die and stuff, except for that chick on the floating door that looks like an old lady version of April. Still, she and that Jack dude totally should have took it in turns to –"

"Not now, Mikey!" Raph and Leo chorused in agitation, and Raph slapped Mikey over the head. Splinter shook his head with a sigh.

Donnie rolled his eyes and sighed at his older brother. "It's not a cruise ship, _Leonardo_; it's a Cargo ship used to transport different goods and things like that. Inside the ship is where all the delicate stuff goes, like glass and things like that, that can't be stocked outside the ship. We can sneak inside and hitch a ride on one of these without being spotted. Or would you rather try going on a plane?" he deadpanned sarcastically.

Leo considered for a moment, and then looked to Splinter for confirmation. Splinter nodded once, and Leo turned back to Donnie. "Okay, so when does it leave the docks?" he asked.

Donnie smiled and turned back to his laptop, scrolling through a series of data readings that the others couldn't understand. "Well, I managed to hack into the company's website, and according to this timetable, it says that the next ship to Kyoto Japan is set to leave the dock in the next three hours."

Leo nodded, "Okay, then that's what we'll do. Good work, Donnie," he said, rubbing Donnie's head with a smile before looking back at Raph, who had gotten his T-Phone out and was already dialing a number. "Raph, who are you calling?" Leo asked.

Raph grinned, putting the phone to his ear. "If we're gonna be sneaking into another country, what better back up can we have but _this_ guy?" he chortled.

Leo's shoulders slumped as he face-palmed. "Oh god…Raph, I hope you know what you're doing…"

As Leo and Splinter went back into the kitchen to gather more food, Mikey discreetly took out his phone, dialed the number, and brought the phone to his ear as he waited. He needed to ask a huge favor himself, and he was praying that she would comply and help him out.

"_Hello?"_ said the sweet voice on the other line, and Mikey grinned happily.

"Hey, Irma! Listen, can I ask you a favor?"

* * *

Letting out a growl of frustration, Casey Jones, the infamous daredevil and hardcore vigilante of the great New York City, took his pencil and scribbled out the answer to his math question. He let out a heavy sigh as he sat back in his chair at his desk, lazily fiddling with his pencil as he glared daggers at his homework paper. Man, trigonometry was a pain in the butt. Well, if it meant that his dad didn't ground him for life and for him to stay on the hockey team, then it meant it had to be worth it, right?

Still, it sucked that April wasn't here to give him a hand; she had offered to tutor him to help him pass the trig exam a few weeks back, and she really was a big help. They both had tons of catching up to do after the whole 'mutagen' incident; they had missed out on a lot of classes (though it really wasn't their fault that they had to kind of save the city from raging mutants). April had already caught up with everyone else, and was ready for the next big trig exam, but for Casey...

He was totally dead meat.

He sighed again. He should be out there already, fighting crime, beating Kraang alien slime balls and taking names, with his kick-ass turtle brother, Raphael, not scribbling away at pointless trig homework.

Is this how low the great Casey Jones has sunk?

Suddenly, his T-Phone began to ring next to him on the desk, and as he picked it up to answer it, he looked at the picture of the caller; it was Raph! With a cave mouthed grin, Casey answered the phone. "Yo, Raph! Jut the turtle I wanted to hear from!" he laughed, "What's up, bro?!"

On the other side of the line, he heard Raph laugh as well, "_Hey, Casey! Good to hear you too, man. Um, quick question, where's your dad and little sister?"_

Casey raised a brow at the odd question, but shrugged and answered, "My dad's at the bar with my uncle and a couple of friends and my sister's with her babysitter. Why?"

_"Good! Then pack your stuff, tell your dad that you're going on a little trip with some friends for a few days!"_

Casey's face was a mixture of confusion and delight. He was going on a trip, like a getaway? Great! Now he didn't have to sit here and do anymore stinking trig homework. "Sounds like a plan, dude! What do I need to bring?" he asked as he got up from his desk and began to gather some clothes, stuffing them all in a large rucksack.

"_Well, some clothes that will last you a few days I guess, your weapons, and –"_

Casey stopped mid-packing at the word 'weapons'. Now don't get him wrong, Casey Jones loved to get into a good fight; it was one of the reasons why he became a vigilante, and how he and Raph were able to bond so well after their not-so-pleasant meeting at the park that one night nearly four months ago now.

But if he had to bring his fighting gear along with him on a so-called 'trip', one that suggested they were going to take a break, then there was definitely something not right here.

"Wait a sec, Raph. Not that I'm complaining, but why do I need my weapons? In fact, where are we even going?" he asked.

There was a short pause, before he heard Raph let out a little sigh. "_Okay…don't freak out, but…we need you to come with us to Kyoto…"_

Casey's eyes widened and he froze on the spot. He blinked once. "…I'm sorry, what?" he stammered with a little laugh, "For a second I thought you said _Kyoto_, which would be stupid because, y'know, that's all the way in _Japan_."

"…_yeah…"_

Another pause.

Casey had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. "…You're joking…right?" he stuttered.

Raph laughed nervously, _"Yeeaaaahh…no. We're going to japan in three hours, but listen, it's –"_

"ARE YOU FREAKING CRAZY, MAN?!" Casey barked, "Do you guys realize how stupid of an idea that is for, no offence, _four giant talking mutant turtles_, to go on a retreat to _Japan?!"_

_"Splinter's coming too, but listen –"_

"Oh, okay then, if Splinter's coming too, that will make everything even better! Do you know how much crud I'll be in if my dad finds out about this?! I'll be grounded for life! No, I'll be skinned alive, then _buried_ alive, and my sister will dance on my grave! No, seriously, why are you guys even _thinking _of going –?"

"_Casey, listen!" _Raph yelled,_ "We aren't on vacation, doofus! It's about April and Miss Robyn! They were attacked and April was kidnapped and we need your help to find her and save her! You get it now?!"_

Casey's eyes widened again as he let out a gasp. What? April was kidnapped? In Japan?!

April was in danger, and Casey hadn't been there with her to protect her…

And now, the turtles and _Splinter, _were going to go out there, risk everything, even the chance of being discovered and have their own lives destroyed, to save her and bring her and her aunt home again.

Casey's face hardened in determined resolve. The turtles were part of his family, and to them, April was the big sister they wished they had, and she had been hurt and taken away from them again. They were afraid for her life, and he knew that; he could hear the tension in Raph's voice when he mentioned that she had been attacked.

No one messed with his family or friends, not while Casey Jones was still standing.

"Raph, tell me where to meet you guys, and I'll be there," Casey said firmly, "'cause I'm going with you guys. We'll make those scumbags pay. They mess with April, they mess with the whole family!"

He could almost see the grin on Raph's face. "_Thanks Casey. Meet us at the docks in three hours! See you there!"_

As Raph hung up, Casey stared down at his half packed bag. He knew that he was doing this to help his best friends save their sister, the girl that they loved as a sister and the girl he saw as…something more, but h couldn't help but stand there and say to himself;

"What the hell have I gotten myself into…?"


	5. Chapter 5: Memories

**A/N: Hi there! Sorry for the delay, but here is chapter 5! BTW, R&R are appreciated, and I DO NOT OWN OWN TMNT!**

**Or Frozen...**

**Or Drake & Josh...**

**This one took a lot of re-doing and stuff, and it contains a lot of family fluff, so you have been warned!  
**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 5: Memories **

His head was pounding, throbbing painfully as he stirred where he lay on a cold, metallic surface. He dared to crack his eyes open slightly, just to get a vague idea upon where he was, but then he heard those familiar, dreaded metallic footsteps coming toward him, and he closed his eyes again, remaining as still as he was able as they came closer.

They stopped, standing just in front of where he lay as they stared down at him. He could hear them talking, and his blood boiled at the sounds of their emotionless voices.

"Kraang, is the mutant known as the alligator mutant ready for the testing that is soon to begin?"

"Yes, Kraang, he is stable for the time that is known as the time that is present. Kraang will begin the testing upon the mutant in a time that is known as a time that is soon coming."

He flinched slightly in shock.

More experiments?

More pain and endless hours of torture?

Horrible memories suddenly flashed through his mind…

_He was screaming in agony, begging for the creatures that had taken him to this strange place to stop, but they ignored his cries and pleas, seemingly enjoying watching him writhe in pain. He felt his once little body burning as they poured more of that green, glowing ooze all over him. _

_His body began to morph, stretch, and grow into something else, something unnatural…_

_…Something monstrous._

No! No more!

He wouldn't let them torture him again! He had escaped once before, and he could do it again!

He would not let them break his spirit!

His eyes snapped open, and they turned white with blinding rage. He leapt up from where he lay on the floor, ripping off the wires that hooked him up to their machines as he let out an ear-piercing roar that shook the whole place. The Kraang were immediately on their guard, raising their guns in the air as they took aim to fire, but the creature was too far gone, and with an animalistic rage, he swatted them away like flies, smashing and crunching his way through all of their droid bodies, one by one, making sure none of them touched him ever again.

He finally stopped for a moment, breathing heavily as he witnessed the chaos he had caused as he began to calm himself down. He felt no remorse tough. They deserved everything they got for what they had done…

And what they would do to millions of other innocent animals or humans, should the Kraang cross their path. He had to stop this somehow, make sure none of these hideous alien creatures ever left their own dimension.

He looked around him, scanning the strange room that they used for experimenting on, trying to find something that could possibly stop their transportation. His eyes spotted various animals that they had already taken captive; pigeons, spiders, and even a giant squid looking creature, possibly a failed experiment.

What he didn't understand though, was why they held a small, motionless turtle held in a large glass case. It looked like it was dead. He got a closer look, and his heart sank when his thoughts were confirmed; that turtle was long dead.

It might not have been able to endure their experiments, and had perished within mere hours of experimentation. The Kraang had truly grown more ruthless than ever.

He had to put an end to this.

His green eyes then spotted something glowing in the center of the room. Raising a bow, he went closer, and he saw that it was some kind of small, purple glowing crystal inside a small glass cylinder. He inspected it for a moment, and then saw a long black chord attached to the bottom of the cylinder that led straight to another large piece of machinery, one that was glowing and humming with power.

He recognized the machine with a small gasp. This was one of the machines that allowed them to travel through times and dimensions. And this small crystal was what was powering it.

If he took it out, they wouldn't be going anywhere.

Alarms began to blare out inside the lab, and he heard the sounds of robotic footsteps coming closer. He had to act quickly. He grasped the crystal and pulled, but it did nothing. Well, it did nothing but turn on the machine it was powering up as a swirl of purple energy appeared from the center of the machine.

Wait a minute…

He could escape from this place by using that! But he couldn't go anywhere without this crystal. He wagered he would have mere moments before the portal shut down after he pulled the crystal out. He could make it.

With a growl of effort, he pulled harder, using every ounce of his monster-like strength. Finally, the crystal came free from its holding, and he wasted no time in climbing on top of the machine, just as the Kraang flooded into the room and began to fire.

"The one known as the mutant that has once again escaped has taken that which is known as the power cell! Kraang must retrieve that which is known as the power cell!" one Kraang cried.

The creature was able to dodge their relentless laser fire as he climbed up to the portal, and with a loud victorious roar, he leapt into the swirling purple energy.

He closed his eyes as he felt himself floating, flying through an endless space. He felt weightless as an invisible force carried him across the endless seas of dimensions and time periods. He could hear voices of the past, the present and the future, all of them either screaming or laughing, bombings and killings…

Finally, he seemed to stop. He opened his eyes, only to close them again as sunlight beamed into his eyes. He blinked as his eyes adjusted to the intense gleam, and he found himself hovering in midair.

His eyes widened. "Oh…brilliant…" he growled, before gravity grabbed him with both merciless hands and pulled him back down to the earth. Luckily for him, the drop was not very long, but it was still quite painful as he landed with a thud on the grassy earth. He growled as he shook his head to clear he dizziness, and he stood up and gazed at his surroundings.

He seemed to have landed on a steep hill in the middle of a large field, surrounded by emerald green grass and flowers. He turned around, and saw that mountains stood high and mighty in the distance, their peeks not yet reaching the sun as it shone down upon the land in the clear blue skies.

He took in a deep breath through his nose, inhaling the sweet smell of the earth despite the slight chill.

He knew this place…

Of course! He was back in Japan! This was where Kenshin had lived…

But if that was the case…then where was the village?

That portal was unpredictable; maybe he had travelled to a different time period, somewhere in the far future. Kenshin's village may have already been destroyed, years and years ago, and then later rebuilt as something in else in their place.

His face fell sadly. He only hoped that he had done enough for them, to protect them as he had promised Kenshin…

He looked down at his hand, finding that he still had the 'power cell' (as The Kraang had called it) in his hold. He would have to hide it somewhere, where the Kraang could never find it. But he would have to be careful; he had no idea what time period he was in, and people could react differently to creatures like him. He would have to find somewhere new to hide himself.

With a nod, he set off up the hill, off to find out where exactly he had ended up in.

* * *

For what seemed like the hundredth time that day, April O'Neil rolled her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. She had been locked up in her new cell for hours, which was lower down in the castle complex and completely empty aside from herself, and every other few minutes, Walker's 'goons' who came down to pay her a 'friendly visit'.

Or, as she preferred to call it, an hourly 'flirting session'.

Seriously, she was _sixteen_, and she didn't even want to know how old _they _were, and they were trying to flirt with her?!

The potbellied one was definitely the worst out of 'The Three Stooges' and it didn't help that every time he laughed, she could smell his breath. Finally, she had enough, and she struggled to stand up (as her hands were still tied) and she walked towards the bars of her cell. Potbelly looked stone cold face in confusion, before a cocky grin spread across his face, revealing his yellowed teeth. "Hey, you change your mind now, love?" he smirked.

That smirk turned upside down as she rammed her foot straight into his unmentionables through the wooden bars, and she watched with a conceited grin as he fell like a rock onto his knees, groaning in pain. "No, but I'm sure you did," she scoffed.

She then turned on her heel and walked back to the corner of her cell, sliding down the wall until she was able to sit down again. Man, she really hoped help would come soon. She wasn't sure how long she would last in here with these guys. She let out sigh of relief as Potbelly finally left her alone, limping back to his smirking companions as they shut the door, leaving her once again on her own in this dark, humid prison.

She just prayed that her aunt was okay. Aside from her father, she was the only one from her human family that she had left, like her mother.

She was out there, wandering the forests of Japan, all alone and possibly scared. What if Walker's henchmen found her? What would they do to her?

She let a stray tear escape through her closed eyes. Why did everyone else have to suffer because of her? First the turtles, her father, her friends and now her aunt…

What had they ever done to deserve this?

Just then, cries of anger and the sounds of a struggle caught her attention, and she scooted closer to her prison cell, and she found the three goons dragging in a young Japanese boy, his face slightly beaten and bloody as they dragged him down the row of cells. He struggled furiously against their hold and the bods around his wrists, but to no avail.

"This'll teach you to go off and warn them stinking rebels, eh Kenshin?!" Potbelly smirked as he opened April's cell and threw him inside in front of her. "Well, you can rot in here with the little lass then! Traitor!"

The three of them laughed as they locked the cell and walked away, leaving April with the injured boy they called Kenshin as he tried to sit up. He coughed a little as he looked up at her. She scooted away slightly at the glare in his eyes.

_"Amarinimo uragirimono __desu __ka?" _He said with a slight growl.

April, despite having lessons in Japanese, had no idea what he had just asked her. "Um…_eigo __wo __hanashimasu __ka?" _She stammered. Luckily this was the first sentence Leo had taught her when they had first started.

He seemed surprised at this, and he stared at her blankly for a moment before nodding. "Yes, I speak English," he said.

April sighed with relief. "Oh good…um, can you repeat what you said before in English? I didn't quite catch that."

"I asked if you were a 'traitor' too," he scowled.

April shook her head, her own scowl taking over her features as she looked down at the floor. "No…I'm just a prisoner here. I was kidnapped from my hotel room by those goons back there. I don't know what they want with me, but my aunt is out there…alone…"

Her lip quivered as she turned away. "…I just want her to be okay…I just want this all to stop…"

Kenshin gazed at her, unsure of what to do or say. He had never met this girl before, but it was clear that she was suffering greatly. Whatever those ruffians had done to this young woman and her aunt, it was no doubt another one of their horrible orders from the man he had once looked up to.

Still unsure, he shuffled closer to her. "Um…miss?" he asked, and she turned to him with wide blue eyes. "Um…what is your name?"

April sniffed. "It's April O'Neil."

He nodded. "My name is Kenshin. I am truly sorry for the hurt that my father and his henchmen have caused for you and your family," he said solemnly.

April's eyes widened. "Wait…you're Norinaga's son?!" she cried.

He nodded with a deep frown. "Unfortunately, yes," he replied, disgust heavy in his voice, "but he has taken his filthy, dishonorable deeds upon our village too far. He has taken half of our villagers prisoner, and he has hired these British outsiders to comb the land in search for this, 'mineral' of some kind."

He looked up again, staring deep into her eyes. "Miss O'Neil, I promise you, upon my honor, that I will help you escape and find your family, and put an end to my fathers' scheme," he declared firmly.

April stared at him, her eyes wide and hopeful. Then she nodded firmly, determination eradicating any sadness that had been present beforehand. "Thanks Kenshin. We'll put an end to this together."

* * *

For what felt like the millionth time that day, Casey Jones glanced at the time on his T-Phone and sighed. He had been waiting at the docks for the turtles like Raphael had said, but he hadn't even received a phone call telling them they were on their way, and the boat was due to leave soon. He was dressed in his vigilante 'amour', his hockey mask on his face, his hockey sticks and bats on his back and his rucksack in his hand.

He lifted up his mask, letting it rest atop his head as he looked around anxiously for the mutant family. But eventually, he found that to be useless, seeing as they were a family of highly trained ninjas; he probably would never even see them coming –

He felt something tug him backwards across the docks, and he would have cried out if not for the hand that covered his mouth. He struggled in his captors' strong grip, finding multiple hands dragging him backwards, and he was just about to whip out his stunner from his glove before a quiet chorus of laughter was heard. A very amused gruff voice from above him said with a laugh;

"Dude, that was too easy!"

Casey stopped struggling, ad instead his body sagged as he sighed with a mixture of relief and exasperation, tugging the green hand off his face as he stood up straight, scowling at the laughing turtles that surrounded him. "Dude! Why would you _do_ that?!" he cried.

Leonardo tried to shush him, but was failing because of his laughter. Raphael put a hand on his shoulder, still grinning like a fool. "Dude, chill out! We're only messing with ya!" he laughed, "Besides, we're here now…in fact, we've been here for a while…"

Casey's scowl deepened as he looked down at his mutant brother. "Let me take a wild guess; you guys knew I was standing here this whole time, and you've already snuck into the ship, and _then_ you decided to come back for me. Correct?" he deadpanned.

Donatello nodded sagely, "Exactly!" he grinned, "We had to find a decent place to hide and drop our stuff off first, y'know. No hard feelings, right?" Next to him, Michelangelo held back the snicker that threatened to erupt from his throat.

Casey sighed and rolled his eyes again and sighed. "Look, I'm already in enough trouble as it is with lying to my dad, so if we get caught, I swear I'll kill all of you," he growled.

The turtles smirked, but nodded anyways. "Scout's honor!" Mikey giggled, holding up two fingers.

The older ones, deeming it useless to even try to tell Mikey that they were never scouts, led the way around the ship, opening the hidden door that led into the inside of the ship, and Leo waited outside on lookout as he let the others sneak inside first, before closing the door behind him.

He was baffled beyond belief that none of the workers had any idea that this door had existed, but then again, they were humans; what could you do?

The inside of the large ship was darker than Casey had thought it would have been as they maneuvered their way through large boxes and crates that were piled up, some nearly reaching the roof as they towered over the young group of stowaways.

The slight darkness would make sense though, since there was hardly any light in here, except the electric lights that shone overhead, but they were pretty dim, giving the large space an eerie glow.

As they silently crept through the space, a thought hit Casey as he tapped Raph on the shoulder. "Hey, didn't you say Splinter was coming?" he asked in a loud whisper as they stopped. They reached a wide open space, not cluttered with boxes and such, but instead had piles of bags in the middle. Casey guessed they belonged to the turtles, but he was surprised on how little luggage they actually had. Well, it only made sense, because no one but Splinter in their family actually wore clothes, so it must have just been food supply.

Raph nodded and smirked at Casey's question. "Look behind you," he chuckled, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

Raising a confused brow, Casey obeyed, and he just couldn't suppress the scream as he leapt into Raph's arms, his bag flying in the air as he jumped, wrapping his arms around the turtles' neck as he shook in fear. "God dammit, Raph, _really_?!" he cried.

Folding his hands behind his back as he walked into the light, Master Splinter cocked an amused furry brow at the young man, and smirked slightly despite himself. His sons only burst into laughter. "I would have thought by now, Jones, you had grown used to me," he chuckled.

Still clinging onto Raph, Casey blushed. "S-sorry, Master Splinter," he stuttered in embarrassment, "I just didn't – I mean, I thought you were gonna –"

Splinter held up his hand to silence him, still smiling. "You do not have to explain. It was my sons' idea to scare you, not mine. They thought it would have been humorous, so I gladly complied," he admitted, but showing no remorse whatsoever.

Casey narrowed his eyes dangerously as he scowled at a smirking Raphael, who only shrugged. It was then that he realized he was still being held in a princess carry in said turtles' arms, and he became mortified. "Put me down!" he barked.

Raph shrugged with a nonchalant "Okay!" and he dumped Casey on his backside like a sack of potatoes. More laughter came from the brothers as Casey stood up and dusted himself off.

Man, what a cruddy day he was having.

As the turtles began to settle themselves in the space, Casey looked to Splinter, who was carrying his bag after he had thrown it in the air and caught it, and asked the old rat, "So, when's the ship supposed to set off?"

Splinter beckoned the young human to follow him to the center of the space as he sat down next to Leonardo, and Casey followed suit. "To answer your question, Mr. Jones, I do believe Donatello said that the ship would be leaving…"

A loud horn sounded off, making the turtles jump slightly in surprise.

"…now."

They felt the floor tremble slightly beneath them as the ship began to move, making Mikey and Donnie fall over one another as it jolted forwards. "Woo! Here we go dudes! We're going to Japan!" Mikey laughed, pumping his fist against Donnie's.

Leo shook his head with a smile, Raph laughed as he got up to help his two younger brothers to their feet, and Splinter only smiled warmly at the sight. Finally, he and his new family were setting off for Japan.

Casey grinned also, very excited to be finally setting off, but then another thought hit him. "Wait a minute, what did you guys do about Mikey's cat, Klunk?" he asked Leo, who turned to him and smiled.

"Mikey called up Irma before we headed out, asking if it were not too much trouble if she could take care of Klunk for him," he said, "she was cool with it, but we didn't tell her why. We don't want anyone else getting worried about April."

Casey frowned. "What about her dad?"

Leo looked down at his lap, frowning. "…we didn't tell him either," he said, is expression holding slight regret as he turned away from the boy slightly. "If we did, he would have wanted to come with us, and we couldn't have that. The same for Irma, too. We don't want to lose anyone else in Japan…"

Casey nodded in understanding. He could only imagine what his dad would have been like if he told him about their plan. "…but then…why'd you bring me?" he asked.

Before Leo could come up with an answer, Raph hollered from the other side, "Because I wanted to do _this; **HUG ME, BROTHA**!"_

And before Casey knew what hit him, Raph had barreled into him, both of them rolling along the ground and laughing as they wrestled each other. Casey couldn't deny that it felt good to finally spend some quality time with his best friend; he hadn't seen much of him since Spike passed away, but he understood why. Losing friends was never easy; he knew that from experience. His old friend, Nick, was like Spike in a way; he always listened to him, and he seemed to understand everything he went through. After the two of them split, he felt alone again, empty even.

Now though, he had Raph and his brothers to call his friends. Well, now it was more than just friends. They were a team; a family. And Casey knew that neither he nor Raph would have it any other way.

Splinter shook his head with a tolerant smile as he watched the two as they played. Michelangelo had dragged Leonardo off somewhere else, most likely to explore the lower levels of the ship, which he was fine with, as long as they stayed close. He searched for his third son, only to find him pacing the floor back and forth, his hands twitching nervously as he mumbled things to himself.

Splinter watched his smartest son pace, until after several moments, Michelangelo had returned, and Splinter observed as his youngest sons' face fell at the sight of his distraught brother. He twiddled with his fingers for a moment, and then he decided to approach him, tapping him on the shoulder to gain his attention. Donnie turned, and the two talked for a moment, before Donnie stopped Mikey with a hand on his shoulder and a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, and then he walked away, leaving Mikey standing there, watching him leave with a look that resembled that of a kicked puppy, and he looked down at his feet.

Splinter had watched the entire exchange, and he decided enough was enough. "Michelangelo," he called, snapping his son out of his thoughts as he turned to look at him. Splinter patted the ground next to him, "come and sit by me, my son."

Mikey hesitated for a moment. "Um…sure, Master Splinter," he replied, walking over to sit cross legged next to his father, and looking up at him expectedly with wide curious eyes.

Splinter regarded his son, whose hands began to twitch in his lap, before Splinter placed his hand over both of his to still them. "What troubles you, my son?" he asked softly.

Mikey let out a sad sigh. "Well…its jut Donnie's all bent up about April," he explained, and then quickly added, "don't get me wrong, Sensei! I know Donnie's worried about her and stuff, and I am too, but I just don't get…why he's so mad at everyone else…"

Splinter quirked a brow at his youngest son, "What do you mean, Michelangelo?"

Mikey looked back up at Splinter, his baby blue eyes filled with confusion. "He told me that he doesn't get why everyone else is just playing around and pretending we're on vacation or something. He was going on about how April's life could be in danger, that our very existence could be in danger just by being on this boat, and how nobody's nervous or scared of what could happen once we get there…"

He trailed off as he looked down again. "…he told me he was fine after a little bit, but I don't believe him…he doesn't get it though, Sensei…I'm scared too…"

Splinter looked down at his son, and put a hand on his shoulder to console him, which actually worked as he looked up to his father. "Michelangelo," he said calmly, "I know you are worried for your brother, and that you are scared, but that does not mean that your brothers and Casey are not as well. They are just dealing with their apprehension in their own ways; much like Raphael, Casey, Leonardo and you are. They are just as anxious as Donatello is. He simply needs to see that for himself."

Mikey's face softened again as he looked down at his lap. Now he understood why Donnie was accusing them the way he had. This was April and the discovery of their very existence they were talking about. Years and years of hiding, and the reassurance of security beneath the sewers was surely going to be put in jeopardy, should this rescue mission go wrong, all for the safety of a human girl that they loved so much, especially by Donnie.

Strangely enough, Mikey felt better in knowing this; he could go and tell Donnie what Splinter had said, and then Donnie would feel better again. Or at least he hoped he did.

Mikey looked back up at his father. "But…what about you, Sensei?" he asked innocently, "How're you feeling about all this?"

Splinter released Mikey's shoulder as he folded his hands in his lap, and he looked down at them in thought. "…yes. I admit that I too am afraid for our own wellbeing as well as April and her aunt. But that is something that, as your father, I cannot restrain. I have always been fearful of our family being discovered by the humans. But now, as we journey to another land, that fear has become stronger. I have no doubt that you and your brothers will use your skills to conceal yourselves…but that is not the only thing that troubles me…"

Mikey silently watched his father closely, waiting for him to continue and reading his face, searching for anything that could tell the young turtle what his father was feeling.

Splinter took in a deep breath through his nose before continuing. "…Japan, as you and your brothers know Michelangelo, was the land in which I was born, and the land where I met my wife, and raised my baby daughter, Miwa. But it is also the place where I lost everything I knew. It may not be the same city, but even so…the memories will come…and old wounds will open…"

Mikey looked down sadly. How could he have not thought of that? In fact, had any of them thought over the fact that Splinter may be affected slightly by returning to the place that held such memories for him, both dear and others not so dear?

Mikey was supposed to know this stuff; when people were upset, nervous, angry or worried. That's what he was best at, and yet he hadn't noticed that his own dad was hurting.

Splinter looked back to Michelangelo to find him looking down, almost guiltily, at his hands. With a small sigh, he wrapped an arm around his shoulders and brought his son close to his side, letting him lean against his shoulder. "…do not think that I regret my decision to go with you, Michelangelo," he reassured, "I would never send any of you away unless I was there by your side. It will be difficult returning after so long, yes, but I shall deal with my own emotions myself. Our main focus should be the safety of –"

He was cut off as Mikey suddenly came forwards and wrapped his arms around his neck, burying his face into his shoulder. "…you won't be alone, Sensei," he said softly, "we'll make sure we're all okay…we can pull through, and so can you…I know you can."

Splinter smiled warmly, returning his sons' embrace as he wrapped his arms around his shell. "Thank you, my son," he said.

Mikey smiled, happy that he had done his job right for a change as he hugged his father tighter. "No problem, father," he whispered.

* * *

As the ship set sail to Japan, the stowaways began to distract and amuse themselves in any way that they could. For Leonardo, it was meditating with Splinter to quell his nerves, whilst Michelangelo and Donatello, feeling slightly better after Mikey retold what Splinter had said to him, busied themselves with snooping through the crates and boxes that littered the floors, and messing around with anything they found interesting.

Donnie nearly fell into helpless hysterics when Mikey stumbled across an actual auto-tune device that gave his voice a robotic quality, which he then used to start singing popular pop songs with. It was only when he began to sing another very popular song, 'Let It Go,' that Raphael and Casey had decided to join in, singing loudly and laughing.

After a moment, Leo gave in to laughter as he excused himself to his father and joined in with the others as they began to belt out the chorus in their auto-tuned voices, before all of them fell to the floor laughing.

Splinter said nothing; he simply watched the teenaged boys enjoy themselves.

Soon however, the boys began to grow bored and tired. Michelangelo, predictably, was the first to go as he yawned, tiredly rubbing his eyes as he slumped down next to his father, who was already lying down, his body curled on the floor like that of a cat as he pillowed his head on one of their bags. He watched his youngest son with a smile and a shake of his head.

Wordlessly, in a rare moment of affection that he had not given to them in such a way since they were small, he opened one arm, inviting him to lie down with him, to which he was quick to comply as Mikey nuzzled himself next to his father, and within seconds, he was asleep.

Splinter let out a soft chuckle as he wrapped his arm around his youngest son. It was not that Splinter did not show affection to his sons; as they grew older, they deemed themselves too grown up, as boys often did, for hugs and much things like that.

Sometimes he missed those times where they would come to him in the night and sleep by his side until morning came.

He was about to close his eyes, when he suddenly felt another weight settle next to Mikey. He cracked an eye open to find that it was his eldest son, Leonardo, who lay his head on his father's side as he rested a hand on Michelangelo's shell, his right hand pillowing his head as he lay on his fathers' side, closing his eyes with a peaceful look on his face. Donatello was not far behind him as lay down, resting his head on Leo's shoulder, draping his left arm around his older brother as he began to drift off. Leo cracked an eye open as he smiled, then shared a look with his father as he smiled back.

Splinter then felt someone rest their head on his shoulder from behind, and he didn't have to look to know that it was Raphael, followed by Casey, that had joined their so-called 'nest' as they fell asleep on each other's shoulders, snoring slightly.

Leo and Splinter both rolled their eyes with tolerant smiles before they closed their eyes again. Splinter wrapped his tail around Donnie and Leo protectively, and they didn't move an inch as they all continued to sleep as the ship sailed on over the seas, growing ever closer to their destination.

There were sure to be challenges and great danger once they arrived, but for the time being, they were content to simply sleep, saving their worries for whatever the next day sent their way.


	6. Chapter 6: Enter Kyoto

**A/N: Hey there guys! Chapter 6 is here! a little note though, i had to shorten it a great deal, because it was 17 pages long at first, so, yeah.**

**I OWN NOTHING!**

**Also, GREAT BIG THANK YOU TO SMDKFan on DeviantArt who helped me write this chapter! If it weren't for them, this story would have never seen the light of day! THANKS!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 6: Enter Kyoto**

If one were to wander down, deep inside the large cargo ship, they would either scream in terror or marvel in wonder at the sight before them; a strange family of mutants, plus a young masked boy, all sleeping soundly in the center of a large space in a nest of sorts.

They were completely at peace, and their faces the picture of pure serenity as they dozed together in their serene dream filled slumbers…

Well, that was until the sound of a loud, deafening horn sounded off as all of them snapped their eyes open, and without warning, they all leapt to their feet and drew out their weapons, forming a protective circle around each other as they held their weapons out before them, preparing for the attack.

They all soon relaxed as they realized there was no threat.

Donatello let out a long sigh of relief. "It was just the horn," he explained, sheathing his Bo staff, "the ship has just pulled up to the docks."

The others let out a sigh of relief also, sheathing their weapons as they gathered their things together. Raphael yawned and stretched tiredly, "Yeah…but still, that was one hell of a wakeup call," he groaned, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes with the back of his hand.

Casey Jones came up behind his best friend and slung his arm around his shoulder. "Tell me about it," he yawned, putting his mask over his face, "but jeez, you guys don't mess around when it comes to stuff like that!"

In front of them, Leonardo grinned at Casey as he hoisted his bag onto his shell. "Yep. Just one of the perks of being a ninja!" he chuckled, "You hear all and see all."

Master Splinter patted Leo's shoulder proudly as he helped the drowsy Michelangelo with his bag. In truth, he too was quite proud of how quickly they had reacted to the sound of the horn; almost as fast as he was. It appeared that really had trained them well.

This put his fears at ease slightly; they should be fine in Japan, so long as they stuck to their ninja training.

Michelangelo yawned loudly. "A-are we there yet?" he droned, rubbing his sleepy eyes as he plodded on after his brothers.

Raphael chuckled, shaking his head and putting an arm around Mikey's shoulders as the group began to walk towards the exit. "Yeah, Mikey…we're there."

* * *

The cargo ship had settled at the docks that had been built just near the edge of the large forests in Kyoto; near the village that Donnie had last heard from April's aunt, luckily and conveniently enough for them. It only meant that if they were careful enough, they would be able to sneak right past the Japanese workmen and right into the forest in very little time.

Sounded easy enough, right?

However, the odds were not exactly in their favor that afternoon, as there were quite a few workmen out on the docks, unloading the cargo from the ship one at a time. Leading the way around the side of the ship, Leo peered around the corner, assessing their situation. His shoulders slumped as he sighed dejectedly. They had barely set foot in Japan, and already they were having problems.

So much for an easy mission.

Raph looked over his older brothers' shoulder, trying to get a good look at whatever had displeased his brother. "What is it, fearless leader?" he asked.

Ignoring the use of the nickname that he hated, Leo turned back to his family with a flat look. "There are far too many humans moving around out there for us to move in all at once," he whispered, "It looks like we're gonna have to split up; Full Ninja Mode, everyone."

The others nodded in understanding as they opened their bags, and to Casey's surprise, they drew out several different sized black cloaks, draping them over themselves, covering their faces and large bodies with the hoods. "Where did you get those?" he whispered.

Raph smirked underneath his hood. "Ever played an LARPG?" he snickered, "Mikey voted for Lord of the Rings, so well all made capes out blankets we found in an abandoned charity shop. Me and Leo were the Hobbits and Donnie was Gandalf."

"Can we not discuss this now, you two?" Leo hissed from in front. Raph only rolled his eyes and nodded.

Without another word, Leo and Donnie headed off in one direction, Raph and Casey in another, and Splinter and Mikey in the direction opposite Leo and Donnie, all of them silently fanning out across the docks.

Splinter watched his sons move in and out of the shadows and shelters with impressive grace and precession, with the slight acceptation of Casey Jones, who stumbled several times, and would have been spotted already if not for Raphael. He could not help but gaze upon them all proudly; they worked as one unit, as a team. Even his youngest, Michelangelo, seemed completely focused on staying hidden, following his fathers' silent instructions with intense accuracy as they leapt and hid from box to box.

It may have been the fact that their nerves were causing them to over perform, trying to the best of their abilities not to get spotted by anyone. He couldn't blame them, though; it was only natural. They were in unfamiliar lands, so the urge to keep hidden became stronger.

One cargo man just caught a glimpse of several dark figures moving across the docks, and heard the rustling of leaves as whatever those things were entered the forest. He quirked a brow, but was snapped out of his thoughts by one of his companions, calling to him in Japanese; "Come on, quit messing around and help me unload these crates!" to which he complied as he shrugged.

It was probably nothing anyhow.

* * *

Despite it being in late February, it was surprisingly hot in the forest as the mutant group and their human companion travelled through the thick bushes and trees, so they took off their cloaks and stuffed them back in their bags for the time being, and continued on their way through the forest, marveling at their beautiful surroundings. The turtles had only ever seen such beautiful nature through their TV back at home, but of course, it compared but little to the real thing. Splinter watched his sons and their human friend as they gazed in wonder at the strange new world around them.

Raph whistled. "Whoa…this place is pretty cool," he said with a smile, "I thought Japan would've been, I dunno, more modern and stuff."

"That's because we're in the country, Raph," Donnie pointed out, bending over to take a look at the extraordinary assortments of flowers that grew nearby, "these are truly fascinating…I wish I could take some back to study…" he sighed longingly.

"Hey guys, check this out!" Casey called as he climbed up the trunk of a tall Sakura tree, supporting himself by grabbing the branches above him. "I'm Rafiki!" he laughed as he began bouncing slightly, shaking the branches.

The turtles snorted and laughed as they watched him, aside from Donnie, who only looked up at him blankly. "You know, Lion King took place in _Africa,_ not Kyoto," he noted.

"Who cares?!" Raph shrugged, and he quickly climbed the tree up to join his human brother. Mikey quickly took out his T-Phone, intent on filming the entire thing.

Splinter only shook his head with a smirk. "Kids."

The two began to chant aimlessly as they laughed. "Asantesana, squash banana, humbigana ahiganinyana –**_WAAH_**!" they both cried as the branch snapped beneath their weight, and they fell onto their faces in the dirt, groaning as the rest of their family laughed at them.

"Dudes, this is amazing!" Mikey hooted, spreading his arms out wide as he spun around, and then he looked down, wriggling his toes in the grass and laughing more. "And I love the feeling of grass on my feet! We should totally get some for the lair!"

Splinter shook his head and chuckled, "Maybe another time, Michelangelo. We must continue on our way, so come along," he urged, cuffing Mikey on the back of his head playfully, which was returned with a large freckled grin from his youngest.

Leo smiled at Mikey's enthusiasm, and then turned to put a hand on Donnie's shoulder, peering over it as he watched his brother fiddle with his T-Phone. "Donnie, do you have the co-ordinates of April's T-Phone?" he asked, to which Donnie nodded as a red dot appeared on the screen.

"Yeah the scanner indicates that we are her, and the signal from her T-Phone is right here," he replied, pointing at the dot on the screen. His face then fell slightly, and his brow creased in confusion. "It's…actually not very far from here…in fact…"

Donnie began to walk forwards, stretching his legs as he took long strides as he stared at the glowing dot on his T-Phone. Mikey crept up behind him, and he began to mimic his older brothers' movements in a dramatic manner as they made their way to a large grassy clearing in the center of the forest.

Leo rolled his eyes with a smirk as he followed them, before Donnie abruptly came to a stop, causing Mikey to nearly push him over as he rammed into him, followed by Leo.

Donnie's face was written with worry as he bent down, brushing aside grass and debris until he found what he was looking for, and picked it up and revealed it to his family.

"…its right here," he said, "Robyn must have dropped it here when she was trying to get away from her attackers…"

His face dropped, apprehension settling in as he bit his nail in worry. "…that's not a good sign…"

"That's not the only thing," Leo said as he moved past Donnie, kneeling down as he revealed a patch of grass with large muddy foot prints, and dirt that had grooves into it, as if something had been dragged. "There are signs of a struggle here…" he said gravely as he turned back to his family, "she must have already been taken…"

Raph looked up from where Leo knelt, finding that the trail of drag marks carried on further into the dense forest. His green eyes narrowed as he let out a snarl. "The trail leads that way! C'mon!" he shouted, pushing past Donnie and Mikey as he raced forwards.

Leo looked up from where he knelt, and his eyes widened just as he caught Raph running through the bushes. "Raph! Come back!" he called, leaping to his feet as he raced after his hotheaded brother.

Confused, Mikey Donnie and Casey looked up to Splinter for orders. He only shook his head with a weary sigh. "Casey, you and I will look out for any more clues, Donatello and Michelangelo, you stay here," he ordered, and he beckoned for Casey to follow him as the two of them disappeared through the bushes, leaving Donnie and Mikey alone.

Shrugging, Donnie knelt down to the grass, looking at the ground closer for any more clues, whilst Mikey rocked back on his heels, whistling tunelessly as he laced his fingers behind his back, gazing at the brightly lit forest around him.

They had never been in a place like this before, so beautiful, so full of life, so peaceful…

…so quiet.

And Mikey was growing increasingly bored of the quiet.

"Hey," Mikey began nonchalantly, still rocking on his heels, "you think the people who kidnapped April are actually a part of some ancient civilization? Y'know, like those guys who stick to old times instead of Modern like in the movies, and they kidnapped her because she was, like, the reincarnation of their late queen or something? And they needed that staff thingy that you mentioned to brainwash her into buying the truth so they could raise monsters from the ground and take over the world and stuff?"

Donnie looked up from his investigation, looking back at Mikey with a deadpanned look. "Doubt it, Mikey," he answered dryly, turning back to the trail. Sometimes, his younger brother's immense imagination baffled all of them, but then again, so did nearly everything Mikey did, so it was no real surprise, really.

"But it'd make sense," Mikey continued, beginning to get into the idea now as he faced his brothers' turned back, pumping with enthusiasm. "I mean, Queen April O'Neil...or something...it sounds cool, right? Plus, April wouldn't shut up about it if it _was_ true, and wouldn't that make her a princess or something? I mean, she's kinda always been like one, and that'd be awesome! If she was royalty, we'd be, like, her royal guards or something, and those scientists wouldn't touch us, and –"

Donnie sighed long-sufferingly as Mikey babbled on aimlessly with no sign of stopping, and so he decided to use the special skill that Master Splinter had taught him, used only for when he was ever in situations such as these.

He tuned Mikey right out.

However, both of them remained completely unaware that they were being silently watched from the bushes, and were being advanced on slowly.

Mikey continued to ramble on, "And then they'd be all, 'Oh no she didn't', but them I'd be like, 'yeah, and – "

A hand slapped over Mikey's mouth, and other hands reached out as they dragged him into the bushes.

Donnie looked up, finding that Mikey had finally stopped talking, and he sighed in relief. "Finally, some peace and quiet," he announced dramatically.

Just then, Leonardo and Raphael reappeared from the bushes. Raph did not look at all pleased, and neither did Leo, which sent Donnie the silent message that the two had either come up with nothing, or had gotten into yet another argument. Donnie predicted that it was the latter.

He rolled his eyes. Looks like a certain someone still needed to control that temper of theirs.

Splinter and Casey appeared moments later, and Splinter immediately noticed that something was wrong. He looked at each of his sons and counted.

_One…two…three…_

"Donatello, where is Michelangelo?" he asked, worry beginning to settle once again in the pit of his stomach.

Donnie rolled his eyes and looked behind him, "well, he's right –"

His expression fell dramatically when he found no one behind him. No Mikey in sight.

"– here." he finished.

Leo and Raph shared a frightened glance. Mikey was gone. Mikey was lost, in _forest_, in **_Japan_**, without leaving a single trace as to where he could have possibly gone.

It was in dire times like these, whenever Michelangelo went missing, that there was only one thing the three older brothers could do before they could possibly do anything else.

**_Panic._**

"MIKEY!" Raph bellowed, his eyes wide with fear, "Mikey, where are you buddy?!"

The others quickly followed suit, calling out his name and searching through the bushes, but found nothing, not even a foot print. "Mikey, this better not be a prank, or I swear I'll hurt you!" Leo cried, hi composure breaking little by little as the seconds ticked by, and still no sign of his little brother.

It was then that even Splinter began to panic; his fears were already becoming a reality. His youngest son, Michelangelo, had already gone missing, and they had not even been here for more than a few hours. What if he had wandered off?

Or worse…what if he had been taken by someone else?

Splinter took in several deep breaths as he tried to calm himself. He could not allow himself to think like that. He turned to his three remaining sons and their human companion as they looked to each other, distressed and afraid for the safety of their baby brother.

Donnie held his head in his hands, panicked tears starting in his eyes. "This is my fault! I should have been watching him! I-I shouldn't have –"

Leo stopped him with both hands firmly gripping his shoulders. "Donnie! Snap out of it!" he told him with a little shake, regaining his composure. Mikey needed them, and panicking was not going to help him. "It's likely that Mikey could have been taken by the same people who kidnapped April and her aunt. Raph and I found a large castle complex farther down the path, so we'll start looking there."

Donnie stared at Leo for a moment, and then nodded in understanding. He had to keep his head. He needed to keep it together.

Seeing that Donnie had finally gotten hold of himself, Leo smiled at him, and then turned to Splinter and Casey. "Casey, Sensei, you follow the trail that Robyn left behind, and me, Raph and Donnie will sneak into the estate and see if either April are Mikey are held there."

They both nodded, and Splinter moved to put his hand on Leo's shoulder. "Remember, my sons, stay together. Do not let any of you slip out of each other's sights; these are dangerous lands, so remain on your guard," he charged.

Leonardo nodded firmly.

His hand tightened slightly, giving away his unease to his most observant son. Splitting up again was the absolute last thing that the old ninja master wanted to do; he had already lost a son and a surrogate daughter, he did not want to lose any one else.

It was as if everything was replaying itself; he was in the same land, losing his family one by one…

He quickly banished the thought. Things were different now. His sons had grown; they would be able to protect themselves. He needed to trust his sons, let them complete their mission on their own. That was the only way they would be able to continue to grow, become the full ninjas they were trained to be.

Reluctantly, he released his son with a firm nod. He knew they could do it.

Casey moved towards Raph, raising his gloved hand. "Good luck out there, man," he said.

Raph grinned, slapping Casey's hand with his own. "Thanks. You too, man." He replied coolly, though in the pit of his bones, he was terrified, but he dared not show it. His baby brother needed them, so now was not the time to be afraid.

With that, the five of them split up, both in search for their missing family members. Splinter only prayed that no more would go missing.

* * *

The skies had begun to grow darker as night approached. The three turtles trekked through the thick forests, Raphael and Donatello following the lead of Leonardo as he lead the way to the towering castle that lay ahead, standing just at the edge of a tall cliff. As they hid behind the bushes, gazing up at the splendid estate before them, Donatello commented on the impressiveness of it, but also on the downright stupidity of building a castle on the edge of a cliff was, due to the fact that there were several hazards, one of them being the whole 'falling off the cliff into the ocean' thing, which both Leo and Raph agreed on.

Before they moved in, Leo told them to put on their black capes for the time being until they could find better cover, and after assuring himself that this would be just like another one of their Kraang infiltration missions, they moved in.

They were surprised at the number of humans here, some in armor carrying guns or swords, and others dressed in official Japanese attire, carrying boxes or papers or anything else of great importance to them, but the turtles paid them no mind. The real task was to find out where they kept the prisoners, if any at all.

They leapt and hid on the nearest rooftop as they watched the dozens of humans bustle around below them. Leo turned to Raph and Donnie. "We need to get inside this castle and find out where they keep their prisoners without being spotted. Any ideas guys?" he inquired in a whisper.

Donnie scoffed, "Are you kidding me? There are over a dozen humans down there! How the heck do you think we're gonna get in without being spotted?!"

Raph rolled his eyes in exasperation, ignoring his two brothers as he surveyed the area below them, which he found strange; usually it would have been himself that started all of the pointless arguments…

His green eyes suddenly spotted three large, heavily armored men, making their way to stand in a line below them. He quirked a brow as he gazed down at them. They looked like they were body guards of some sort, but they looked like they were pretty big and heavy…

In fact, they were the perfect size!

With a nod and a feral grin, he nudged Donnie hard on the shoulder, silencing both arguments as he motioned his head at the three guards below them silently. Donnie and Leo looked down, and then looked back to Raph, knowing smiles growing across their faces as they shared a nod.

The three large guards stood silent and tall, unaware of the cloaked figure approaching them until he was directly before hem. They looked down at him in confusion. They couldn't see his face due to the black hood that hid it, but they could see a pair of blue eyes, sparkling with mischief as he waved up at them.

"_Ohayo gozaimasu!" _the figure greeted kindly, "_O genki desu ka?" _

The three guards shared a confused look, before two more figures leapt behind them and took them out swiftly with multiple hard blows to their heads. They fell limp to the ground, but Donnie and Raph caught them before they could hit the ground. "Well, that was easy!" Raph chuckled as they dragged the guards behind the building.

"We're not out of the woods just yet, Raph," Leo cautioned, "We still need to find out where they're keeping April and Mikey." He lifted his head up as he looked back up at the busy courtyard. "They could be anywhere in this place…" he sighed.

Before Raph could comment further, Donnie shushed him with a hand over his mouth as two men dressed in formal Japanese hakama passed by them, speaking to each other in their native tongue. Luckily, Japanese was the turtles' first language, so they were able to listen in on their conversation with ease.

"_So, what do you think Norinaga-sama will do with that young girl they brought in yesterday?"_

_"Hm? Oh, you mean the one in the lower cell blocks? I don't know, but those pig headed morons that Walker brought with him said that they'll hand her over to our higher employers as soon as they find that scepter they want so badly."_

_"I see. But what if she escapes?"_

_"What?"_

_"You heard the guy that came back after they caught her; they were having a pretty hard time knocking her out. Kyon-san told me that she had a Tessen. She's a kunoichi of some kind, and a damn good one too!"_

The turtles shared a grin at that. "That's our April alright," Raph chortled, "she's not going down without a fight!"

Donnie nodded with a dreamy smile. "She's so cool," he whispered.

"Sshh!" Leo hissed as he tried to listen.

"_Yeah, I heard about that, too. Heh, she won't be getting out of there, though. She's in the lower prison cells in that building over there," _he pointed to a smaller building next to the castle, where several other armored men stood guard at the gates, "_it's heavily guarded. It'll take about a dozen samurai to get through there."_

_"Hm. I guess you're right. Now come, let's get these documents to Norinaga-sama before he yells at us again."_

As the two men walked off towards the castle, Leo, Raph and Don shared a flat look. "Well, so much for secrecy," Donnie deadpanned, "they basically told us exactly where to go."

"And here I thought Mikey was a loud mouth," Raph sniggered. It was only then that he registered that they had not even mentioned anything about a giant mutant turtle. Could it have been that Mikey wasn't here at all?

Or had they gotten rid of him already?

Raph wanted to hurl at the thought, but Leo snapped him out of it. "Guys, less talking more disguising!" Leo hissed again as he stuffed his cloak into his bag and struggled into the guards' suit along with Donnie and Raph, "We know where they're keeping April now, so let's move."

It was a miracle that they actually fit over their large shelled reptilian bodies as they marched out into the open courtyard, bypassing all of the humans that thought nothing of them as they reached the building with ease. No one even noticed the brightly colored bags on their backs!

Behind his face mask, Leo grinned at Raph. "I've gotta hand it to you, Raph, this was a pretty good idea!" he praised proudly.

Raph nodded back with a confident laugh, "Of course it was! No one suspected a thing! This was almost too easy!"

"_Hei! Anata ha! Teishi!"_

The turtles froze on the spot, spinning around on their heels as two guards approached them, both of them wearing scowls of disapproval. "…well, it _was _easy…" Raph sighed.

"No worries," Donnie reassured in a whisper as he stepped in front of his brothers, "I got this!"

The guards approached them sneering at them in disapproval. "_What are you doing?!" _one of them barked in Donnie's face in Japanese.

Donnie bowed formally to him. "Uh – _O-Ohayo wasabi!" _he stuttered.

Leo face palmed in embarrassment as the guards stared at him as if he had grown a second head. Raph shook his head and sighed. "_Hello_ _mustard_? Really, Donnie?" he deadpanned.

Donnie turned on him and scowled. "Okay, okay," he hissed, "so my Japanese is kinda rusty when I'm under pressure, Raphael!" He then turned back to the two guards, who waited impatiently for him to answer them, and he tried again. "Um_…suzuki, kawasaki_ –"

Before Donnie could finish, Raph came up behind the two guards and knocked them both out with hard blows to the head, and they fell to the ground in a heap. He looked back up at Donnie and dusted his hands off smugly. "How about, _Sayonara?" _he laughed.

Donnie shrugged and smiled back. "I guess that works, too!"

"Guys! The gate's clear! Let's go!" Leo called in a loud whisper, waving them over as the three disguised turtles entered the building in search for their human sister. Leo sent up a silent prayer to whoever could have been listening that this went smoothly.

But of course, knowing their track record, nothing was going to go smoothly.


	7. Chapter 7: Not So Great Escape

**Chapter 7: The Not So Great Escape**

Meanwhile, as the turtles made their way down to the lower cell blocks, Walkers' three henchmen, nicknamed by April as Potbelly, Skeleton Face and Dopey, were already down there, smirking smugly as they blundered their way to April's cell. Boredom had taken over them during their stay here in this miserable country, so the three of them decided it was time to amuse themselves.

There was a young pretty girl down here, just sat there in her lonely cell, just for them.

The tall skinny one, Skeleton Face, tapped Potbelly on the shoulder. "Wait, I don't think we should be doin' this!" he stuttered nervously, glancing over his shoulder in haste in case someone was following them, "What if Walker finds out that we, well, y'know? We could get gunned down for this, mate! We –"

Potbelly shook his arm off his shoulder and continued to grin. "Don't worry, mate! He won't find out about nothin'!" he reassured smugly, continuing his way down the cell blocks. "Besides, we've been down here for ages, sittin' on our asses doin' nothin'!"

He then grinned wider, revealing his yellowed teeth. "…don't you think we could use a bit of fun with her, eh?"

The other two began to grin also, chuckling wickedly to themselves.

However, they were completely unaware of the now enraged presence that followed them from the support beams above their heads. Only the whites of their eyes could be seen in the pitch darkness above, narrowing with rage as they glared down at the smug trio.

The three of them neared April's cell, and they carefully peered inside to find the young woman resting on Kenshin's shoulder, both of them sound asleep. It seemed as if the headman's son, as noble as ever, had offered to let her sleep on his shoulder, since there were no beds for them to rest on.

"See?" the short one, Dopey to April, snorted smugly, gesturing them both as he silently unlocked the cell door.

Potbelly chuckled darkly as he tiptoed towards April, his dirty hands reaching out for her as a grin spread across his features. "She won't even know what hit her…" he whispered.

"No…but **_you_**will," growled a low, deadly voice behind them.

Their blood grew cold as they froze at the sound. That didn't sound like Walker, or anyone else they knew.

They turned around sharply to find three, large, armored figures stood behind them, glaring at them with a burning intensity that put the hottest of infernos to shame. Potbelly swallowed nervously; they were slightly smaller than him, but they were no less intimidating as they continued to glare. "Now look here, fellas," he began, holding his hands up in submit, "We didn't mean no trouble, see, t-the boss just wanted us to bring –"

"We know _exactly _what you were planning to do with her, **_dirt bags_**," one of them spat, his azure eyes glowing with rage, silencing all three of them instantly.

"Step. Away. From the cell," snarled the tallest of them, his reddish brown eyes blazing with unadulterated hatred as he unsheathed a long wooden staff from his back, pressing a button as a sharp blade whooshed out from its tip, pointing dangerously at Potbelly's neck.

"**_Now._**"

The three of them screeched as they ran back the way they had come, squawking like a flock of frightened geese as they ran.

The three armored figures only watched them as they ran, but the tall one made a move to chase after the three of them, his teeth grinding together, but the blue eyed one put a hand on his shoulder to stop him, shaking his head.

They weren't worth it.

With a low growl, the tall one nodded back, and turned back to the two imprisoned humans.

The amount of high pitched noise awoke both April and Kenshin as they sharply sat up, and looked up in a combination of confusion and alarm at the three guards that stood above them, looking down at them with hard, unyielding glares.

April's face hardened into a glare as she glowered up at them. "What do you want? Are you gonna take me to Norinaga again? Well, tell him I have nothing to say to him!" she spat.

Kenshin sat up and growled as well. "Yes! You can tell that to my father as well!" he shot.

The three guards said nothing, but the one with the long bladed staff approached her and knelt down on one knee as he gazed into her eyes. Kenshin fumed. "Hey, leave her alone!"

"_Damare!" _the guard hissed, looking back at the young girl.

But she didn't move an inch, staring straight into his eyes; she wouldn't offer him the satisfaction of seeing her cower in fear again –

Wait a minute…

She raised a brow, drawing closer as she looked at his masked face, or more accurately, his eyes. They were large, brownish red, and full of life. They looked familiar…_too_ familiar…

_Wait…no **way**…_

Her eyes widened to the size of saucers. Tears threatened to spill from them as the realization dawned on her.

"D…Donnie?" she stammered.

His eyes seemed to sparkle, losing the soulless glare they had once possessed as he took off his face mask, and he grinned widely at her, revealing the gap in his teeth. "Hey there, April!" Donatello laughed.

April gasped sharply in alarm, the breath leaving her lungs in a rush. There was no way he was really there. She was just dreaming; she would wake up very soon and find out that all of this was just, an impossible dream.

She blinked hard. Then hesitantly, she opened her eyes again.

Donatello was still there, still wearing that gapped toothed grin that she had come to love so much.

She then looked up at the two who stood behind him, and they too took off their masks, revealing the smiling faces of Leonardo and Raphael.

"Hey April! Nice clothes there, sweetheart!" Raph smirked, planting his hand on his hip, "Lovely holiday accommodations, huh?"

But April couldn't reply; her mouth had gone dry as she gazed up at all of them.

She couldn't hold back anymore as her eyes spilled over with large, hot tears. She lunged herself into Donnie's shoulder, letting the tears flow as she virtually sobbed into him. They were here. Her brothers had come all this way for her.

She had been right all along; they had never let her down, and they never would.

Donnie's arms immediately came around her as he embraced her, nearly crushing her with his own desperation. "It's okay, April. We're here now, everything's gonna be okay now," he soothed, stroking the back of her head softly, simply letting her cry. She looked like she really needed this, and he would be there to support her, no matter what.

Beside her, Kenshin let out a cry of terror. "Ah! K-Kappa!" he cried, scooting to the far corner of their cell, getting as far away from the giant turtles as possible in fear.

Donnie was too concerned about April to care about his outburst, but Leo and Raph and Leo shared a look. "Uh…a Kappa? What the heck's a Kappa?" Raph barked in confusion.

"Kappa is an evil Japanese spirit, a demon of sorts back in ancient Japanese legends," Leo explained, looking back at the cowering young man in the corner, unable to restrain the smirk that spread across his features. "He actually thinks that we're demons."

Raph's mouth then broke out into his own evil smirk as he looked back down at the quivering boy in the corner. "Yeah, we're _demons_, kid!" he snickered, his hands raised in crooked claws as he let out a little animalistic growl, and Kenshin turned very pale, only adding to Raph's amusement.

"Guys, knock it off," April said as Donnie released her and untied her, helping her to her feet as she rubbed her aching rope burned wrists, "believe me, I'm beyond happy to see you guys, but we can't afford to waste time right now."

She went over to Kenshin, helping him to his feet as she untied him too. "These are my…um…brothers, Kenshin. You don't have to worry. They're here to help us," she reassured him, flashing him a friendly yet awkward smile.

Kenshin glanced from her to the turtles, who waved at him shyly. Kenshin slapped a hand over his forehead, his eyes wide in disbelief as he stared at the creatures stood before him. "Miss April, you truly do have strange companions," he breathed.

April nodded and sighed. "You have no idea, Kenshin. You have no idea."

Just then, bells began to ring, and the sounds of angered shouts came from the entrance of the lower prison. They all spun around to come face to face with several of the guards that the turtles had bypassed with ease earlier, all of them brandishing their weapons and waving them in the air as they charged for them.

Leo growled in frustration. "Great! Those idiots must have called the guards!" he cursed, unsheathing his katana.

Raph came next to him, drawing out his Sai with a feral snarl. "Yeah, as if this night couldn't get any worse!"

Leo turned back to Donnie. "Don, you get April and Kenshin out of here! We'll handle these guards and meet you there! Go!" he ordered, and without another word, he and Raph charged the guards, expecting for Donnie to carry out his orders.

Hesitantly, Donnie nodded and ushered April and Kenshin further down the cell blocks, the sounds of battle raging behind them as they ran. He didn't want to leave them behind, not after what Splinter had told them. They were supposed to stay together, and there were too many guards for them both to handle on their own. But he had to trust them, believe that they would be okay.

He couldn't afford to turn back now; April needed him, now more than ever, so he had to leave his brothers behind and keep going.

But at the slightest inkling that they would not make it, Donnie would turn back and defend them however he could. He would not lose his brothers again.

"Hey, April," Donnie called to her, a thought hitting him suddenly as they ran, "Where's your Aunt? And did they bring Mikey down here by any chance?"

Panting breathlessly, April shook her head, "No! My aunt got away from them before, I don't think they…"

Her eyes suddenly grew wide and her blood ran cold at the mention of Mikey, which she only just noticed, wasn't there with them when they arrived.

"Wait…THEY FOUND MIKEY?!" she cried.

Donnie threw his hands up, "Okay, don't get upset, we're gonna find him! I'm sure he's somewhere in this building! If we just keep going, we might just – oh."

The three of them skidded abruptly to a stop as they reached a dead-end. Donnie groaned as his shoulders slumped. "Great…now what?" he sighed.

Kenshin sighed, and as he looked down at his feet, his eyes grew wide and he gasped. "Grate!" he cried.

The purple clad turtle turned and looked at him flatly. "Yeah, I just said that," he droned, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he planted a hand on his hip. He didn't want to admit it, but yes, he was slightly jealous of him, watching April sleeping on _his_ shoulder peacefully. _Slightly_.

Kenshin ignored his sarcastic remark and shook his head as he knelt down. "No turtle, I meant _sewage_ grate! You're standing on our escape route!" he cried.

Confused, both Donnie and April looked down to find that they were indeed stood over a large grate, and they scurried off of it as Kenshin hooked his fingers through the gaps, and with a grunt of effort, moved the lid out of the way. "This leads straight to the outside," he explained quickly, "we will be able to make our escape through this!"

Making a disgusted face, April peered down into the dark and damp hole, and she turned to Donnie. Donnie only shrugged, "Hey, we've been in worse places before!" he grinned.

April pouted at him. "Compared to this, your place is like a five star hotel," she deadpanned.

"You get used to it," he said, before turning back to where his two remaining brothers fought, and yelled, "Hey, guys! We found a way out! Hurry up!"

"Give us a minute, Donnie!" Leo called, crossing his katana as he blocked the deadly swing of a guard, and with a hard push and a spinning kick, he sent the human barreling into another, knocking them both out as he turned and took out another with the sweep of his katana. For non-ninja warriors, they were incredibly skilled. If he were not fighting for his life, he would have loved to simply watch them, learn their moves and see them in action…just so long as he was not involved in any way.

He grunted with effort as he flipped over the heads of several soldiers, and with a sweep of his legs, took them down to the ground. "Ugh, when I said I've always wanted to go to Japan, I never expected my visit to go like this," he sighed.

"Less talking more fighting, Leader!" Raph barked, jabbing his Sais into the guards as he practically ploughed through them, enjoying watching them fall like dominos against his relentless attacks. After hours of being stuck on a boat, this felt really good for the red clad turtle! If only Casey were here to enjoy this too!

The soldiers began to scream in terror as they finally caught sight of their faces after one of them had accidently knocked off their face masks, and they ran back the way they had come, all of them screaming "Kappa!" as they scurried away.

Raph laughed out loud as he spun his Sais in a cocky fashion. "Well, that was fun!" he grinned.

However, more guards began to appear, twice as many as the last batch, and more armed. Raph's expression dropped.

"_Oookaayy_…not so easy," he said, before running and shutting the door, and holding it shut with his back pressed upon it.

Leo quickly grabbed a long piece of wood that lay on the floor. "Sorry, fights' over, we're closed!" he called, barricading the door and preventing the guards from getting in, though their efforts were commendable. Leo let out a sigh of exhaustion, before he spotted something glimmering on the floor. He picked it up, and with a smile, he flicked it open, revealing the familiar metal fan that his human sister had been given as her personal weapon. "It's April's Tessen!" he cried triumphantly. "Well, I guess this isn't a total loss after all!"

"Guys! Hurry up!" April called.

As the guards tried to fight their way back inside, Leo and Raph sheathed their weapons as they ran to where Donnie stood waiting with April and Kenshin. They both peered down into the hole, and made a face, looking back up at Donnie.

Donnie looked at them flatly. "What? You guys too?!" he cried.

Leo rolled his eyes, but before he could comment, Raph pushed him out of the way and marched straight up to his taller brother. "We can't just leave now! What about Mikey and Robyn?! We still have to find them first!" he demanded.

The door suddenly exploded open, the wooden barricade snapping in half as the guards finally charged through, waving their swords in the air. Looking behind him, Donnie gasped, spotting that three of them were holding guns as well.

Guns that shot bullets instead of lasers, against normal weapons? Not a very good combination, at all.

"We don't have choice, Raph! We've gotta go _now_!" he cried, and without warning, he grabbed April by the shoulders. "Sorry April!" he squeaked.

April stared at him. "Wait, what?!" she squawked, and he shoved her down into the hole, wincing as she screamed.

"Hey!" Kenshin fumed, pointing an accusing finger at the purple clad turtle, "You have no right to do that to –"

"Save the 'Honor' speech for later, creampuff!" Raph barked before slapping Kenshin across the shoulder, sending him screaming down the hole, falling head first.

Leo sent him a disapproving look. He only shrugged and held his nose. "Alleyoop!" he cried as he jumped down, and then screamed as he fell.

Donnie shrugged and grinned at Leo, then leapt in after him. "**_Yabadabadooo_**!" he screamed as he fell.

Leo rolled his eyes with a sigh. "I guess…**_COWABUNGA_**!" he screeched as he jumped and fell, just before the guards were able to grab him. They didn't follow them though, and instead retreated back up the stairs.

They had to report back to their master that the captives had escaped. Though they feared that they were about to lose their heads.

* * *

The hole was much deeper and steeper than they had thought as the young group slipped and slid down the filthy hole, screaming all the while. "_THIS IS SO NOT FUUUUN_!" Raph screeched, reaching out to grab anything that would stop his descent, but was met with nothing but slime.

"_WHOSE IDEA WAS THIS_?!" Leo screamed as he flailed his arms and legs helplessly.

"_NOT MIIIINE_!" Donnie called back.

"_THAT'S A FIRST_!" April shrieked.

"**_HEY_**!"

Finally, the four of them were flung out of the hole, and sent spiraling unceremoniously down into a large puddle of foul smelling, slime filled garbage, landing in the substance with a sickening splat.

They emerged from the stinking pile of goo seconds later, coughing and spluttering as they spat out whatever disgusting things had gotten into their mouths.

"Ugh! **_Ptooie_**! I _hate_ sewage!" Leo growled angrily, spitting out mud and trash from his mouth as he struggled to stand up without slipping. He looked around him in search for his brothers. "Raph, Donnie, April, you guys out there?" he called.

"Over here, Leo!" Raph called back, trudging miserably over to his older brother with a deep frown, before slipping ungracefully, and would have fallen in the mud again if not for Leo quickly reaching out to catch him. He scowled as Leo grinned down at him smugly, and pushed off of him, wiping the gunk off of his arms and chest.

"Well, at least we're wearing armor; otherwise, this would _really _stink," he grumbled, "Donnie! Where are you?!"

"**_Bleah_**! Over here, guys!" Donnie yelled, hacking as he wiped the mud off his face. "Ugh! Why is it _always_ my **_face_**?! Mud wrestling is _definitely_ a spectator sport! April?!"

Lying stuck in the mud behind Donnie, April squirmed as she tried to sit up, but eventually she simply held up her arms. "Um…Donnie…help…" she droned, wiggling her fingers pathetically.

Donnie chuckled nervously as he bent down and grabbed her outstretched arms, but as he pulled her out, he slipped on the gunk, and he fell backwards onto his shell, accidentally pulling her on top of him. She shook her head to clear the daze, and looked down at a flustered Donatello, whose face had turned a vibrant shade of red as his brothers snickered in the background.

"Um…oops?" he peeped.

April pouted, her dirty cheeks turning red. "No offense guys, but this is _by far_, the _worst_ rescue I have _ever_ had!" she scowled as she struggled off of Donnie, who then held up his own arms, a pleading look on his face.

"Come on, you've had worse April," Raph smirked, putting an arm around April. April rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her lips at last as she butted her head softly against Raph's.

"Help! I'm a turtle and I can't get up!" he begged, and he was pulled to his feet by the young red head, who then went over and helped up Kenshin from where he lay half buried in the mud.

As the group all came together, Raph growled up at Kenshin, who took a few wary steps backwards in fear, still not really convinced if he was truly safe around these giant creatures. "This was your stupid idea, wasn't it?" he spat, "It would've been nice if you, I dunno, _warned us **first?!**_"

Kenshin held his hands up in surrender. "Hey, calm down red one! Would you have rather been caught by my fathers' guards?" he barked back, "You _should _than me!"

Raph smiled. "Oh, I'll thank you alright…**_I WON'T TAKE YOUR HEAD AND SMASH IT AGAINST THE –"_**

Leo stopped his brothers' enraged outburst with a patient hand on his shoulder, and the wall of flames behind him seemed to die down as Raph glared at his older brother. "Okay, okay, thank you _Raphael,_ I will take over," Leo deadpanned, ignoring Raph as he turned and crossed his arms angrily over his chest, muttering Japanese curses under his breath.

"So, Kenshin, was it?" Leo began pleasantly, "If Mikey and April's aunt weren't inside this castle, then where else do you think those goons could have possibly taken them?"

Kenshin put a finger to his chin, silently pondering for a moment before a memory hit him, and he turned back to the blue clad turtle. "I remember that Walker had his men station themselves around the forest, setting up camps should the resistance try to attack the castle."

"What resistance?" asked Donnie.

Kenshin looked down and sighed. "My father and a British dealer named Walker had made a deal; they would evacuate or imprison the villagers that lived in the area so that they could level their homes to search for this sacred scepter of some kind."

The turtles gasped. "What?! That's…that's horrible!" Donnie breathed, his eyes wide.

"It's inhumane!" Raph excalaimed.

Kenshin nodded. "It is sad and cruel, but it is true. Those who managed to escape capture reside in the abandoned village farther down the countryside. We could find help there. I know the way there, so follow me," he said, and he began walking, leading the way.

The turtles and April shared a look, and with a nod from their leader, they followed Kenshin, trekking through the thick mud and finally onto solid ground as they followed the boy's lead through the moonlit forest.

As they walked, April came up and patted Leo's shoulder, and he looked back at her as they both stopped. "What's wrong?" he asked.

April fiddled with her fingers for a moment before responding. "Leo," she began quietly, "I just wanted to thank you, all of you, so much for coming all this way…though you really shouldn't have. You're putting yourselves in jeopardy by doing this…and…"

Despite how much she tried to fight them, tears began to roll down her cheeks as she looked up at him, her big blue eyes opened wide. "…thank you…you didn't let me down…thank you so much…"

Leo smiled, grabbing her wrist gently and pulling her forwards into his chest, wrapping his arms around her in a strong embrace. She didn't hesitate to throw her arms around him also as she silently began to cry in his arms.

He brought his hand up to stroke the back of her hair softly. "Of course we came for you, April," he said softly, pulling away slightly so he could look into her tear filled eyes, "we'd never let you down. We're family, remember? We stick together, no matter what."

April sniffled, wiping her damp cheeks with the back of her hand as she nodded. "I know. I've always known."

Leo smiled back, and then drew something from the belt in his 'borrowed' armor. He held it up, and whipped it out with a flick of his wrist. "I believe this is yours, _Neechan_," he grinned, using the Japanese nickname he and Mikey had given her.

She gasped in delight, "My Tessen!" she cried as he handed her the weapon. She hugged it tightly to her chest, and looked back up at her turtle brother, tears of joy now starting to appear. "I can't believe you found it! I love you, _Oniisan_!" she laughed as she hugged him again.

He chuckled as she released him and winked at her. Draping an arm over her shoulder, the two of them walked to catch up to the others. April put her head against Leo's shoulder, closing her eyes as a smile spread across her face.

Now that her brothers were here, this so-called 'vacation' would probably turn out for the better.

Just as soon as they found Robyn and Mikey of course. She just hoped beyond hope that they were going to be okay.

* * *

**A/N: Indeed, folks, April's turtle brothers will always be there for her! But all is not well just yet! Whatever happened to young Mikey? Keep reading to find out! BTW, I love all your comments! Keep them coming!**


	8. Chapter 8: Reunited

**A/N: Hey guys! Sorry for the REALLY long wait! I had personal stuff going on! But for those of you who were worried about Mikey, here is the answer you were waiting for!  
**

**I was actually told y my good friend 'Pen Woman' that I tended to get Mikey into tons of trouble and getting kidnapped! I hadn't noticed until now, which is funny!**

**Also, I am not shipping Splinter and Robyn, though it would be a very funny pairing!**

**Special thanks to SMDKFan for helping me, and for everyone else who helped me, and to all those who R&R and Fave this fic, THANK YOU!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 8: Reunited **

The only thing that the young orange clad turtle, Michelangelo, was aware of when he was finally dragged back to the waking world with a soft groan, was that his head _hurt. _Like, Raph headlock hurt. Slowly, he opened his baby blue eyes, but the word was still in a blurry haze.

"Ugh…my head," he moaned, blinking several times to clear the haze.

His eyes flew wide open as he caught sight of an ugly, dirty, grinning face behind metal bars.

"'Ello there, little fella!"

Mikey let out a shrill, high pitched yelp as he sat right up, scooting as far away from that ugly human face as possible until he collided with the wall of his metal barred cage, which was when he finally realized that his arms were chained, pinned tightly to his sides. He looked down at the chains with wide panicked eyes, trying to wriggle himself out of them, but to no avail.

"Aw, you gotta be kidding me! _Again_?!" he cried. He really needed to stop getting himself into situations like these.

The four humans that stood behind the bars began to chuckle evilly at the frightened turtle as he scooted to the farthest corner of his prison cell. The ugly faced one that Mikey had woken up to folded his arms across his chest and stared down at him smugly. "I heard that turtle soup is very popular in these parts," he sneered.

Mikey gulped. "…oh no…" he squeaked.

"Yeah, but the boss said to keep the turtle locked up and don't harm him," said another, moving his arm in front of 'Ugly Face', stopping him from getting any closer to the cell, much to Mikey's slight relief.

"To think there are more little freaks like him out there," breathed a third thug as he stared down at Mikey in slight awe.

"Yeah...I don't know what the boss is gonna do with him, but he said we can't have some noisy mutant freak ruining everything!" piped up another.

"Yeah. This freaky turtle…kid…thing, should have just stayed where he was at and not stuck his noise...err, _beak, _in other people's business."

"Speaking of which...the boss mentioned something on getting money out of that turtle!"

"Well yeah...the creature looks like a teenager almost," the ugly one said, looking closer at the little mutant, whose eyes were wide and pupils dilated as he quivered in fear, "and even acts like he's human...heck, the freak can even talk!"

"Eh, forget that!" one laughed as they began to walk away, "I just hope he gives us some credit for the capture!"

"Yeah, the little mutant brat nearly bit my bloody hand off!"

"Oh yeah? The other one nearly ate my head!"

"You should've seen what he did to poor ol' Fancy Dan; poor guy didn't make it through the night."

"Yeesh! Poor Fancy Dan…"

They finally disappeared through a flap that hung over the entrance of whatever tiny prison they had thrown him in, still chatting amongst themselves about some kind of large monster, leaving Mikey alone in his cage. He drew his knees closer to his chest, his little body trembling as he began to hyperventilate. Tears of fear began to roll down his freckled cheeks.

This was exactly what they had all been afraid of all along. He was locked up and chained, inside a cage in some kind of large hut, in the middle of who-knows-where, probably about to be sold to a science lab very soon, and worst of all, he was all alone.

His family would have no idea where he would have gone. They would have no idea what happened to him until it was too late.

Mikey bit his trembling bottom lip as he fought back a sob as the tears continued to roll down his cheeks. He was alone, and he was so afraid. Was this how it was all supposed to end for him? Condemned to die alone in a land he never should have set foot in, simply because he was different?

Why did the world have to be so cruel to them? What had they ever done wrong?

"Do not cry, little one..."

Mikey's eyes widened again as he let out a gasp and a sharp yelp, scooting closer to the corner of his cage as he searched frantically for whoever had just spoken. Was it another one of those human thugs?

Or was it someone much worse?

"W-Who…who's b-back there?" he stuttered fearfully. He really wished that he had his nunchaku with him right now…well, that, and he wished that he could use his arms.

It was then that he noticed the large, slightly boulder shaped figure on the other side of the cage that Mikey was sat in, and the piercing green, seemingly glowing eyes that stared straight at him, and he felt himself go very cold.

The creature rose from where he lay, and stepped out into the light.

Mikey shrunk backwards. "…_Eeep_."

The creature that shared the same cage with him, his large wrists wrapped in thick, long chains attached to the floor, and staring down at him over his long snout with large, glowing emerald eyes, was a giant mutant alligator.

Mikey's eye twitched ever so slightly as his large baby blue eyes gawked up at the new mutant in a mixture of amazement and fear. The gator only stared back at him, a low grumble emitting from his large, slightly scarred chest each time he breathed out.

An uneasy silence hung over the two of them. Neither mutant knew what to say or do for several long moments.

Mikey swallowed thickly, and he raised his hand as high as the chains that bound his arms to his sides would allow him to, and he gave the alligator a little wave.

"…Hi."

The gator blinked, staring at the younger mutant for a moment longer, and then he rose his clawed, webbed hand up as well, waving it slightly.

"…Hello."

Mikey sniffled a little and smiled up at him, the tears no longer falling.

The gator smiled back, revealing his sharp teeth.

As Mikey looked up at the mutants now smiling face, and looked into his deep, seemingly ancient eyes, he knew that he had nothing to fear. Whoever this gator was, he knew that he would not harm him, even if he didn't have the chains holding him down. He could tell that this was just a kind hearted fellow mutant, much like himself, that had gone through much in his long life, judging by the scars that were littered all over his scaly body.

Besides, reptiles needed to stick together, right?

Scooting closer to the larger mutant, Mikey sat cross-legged in front of him, beaming up at him.

The gator himself sat down also, his tail curling around his feet as he rested his hands on his knees, looking down at the young, curious, and admittedly adorable-looking turtle mutant. It had shocked him, when they had first brought the youngster in, that there were more creatures just like him in this new land.

Maybe in this time period, his kind was treated like slaves? He didn't want to think about what they would do to innocent hatchlings like this one before him.

"My name's Michelangelo!" Mikey piped up enthusiastically, his eyes sparkling in wonder, "What's yours?"

The gator looked down. "I…do not have one."

Mikey's eyes widened as he gasped theatrically. "You don't have a name?!" he exclaimed, and the gator nodded slowly. Mikey's face lit up again as he scooted closer onto his knees, struggling to stand up without the use of his arms. "Ha! Well today's your lucky day, 'cause I'm a genius at naming stuff!" he laughed. Then his face creased in thought as he looked the creature up and down. He looked straight into his eyes. "Let's see…" he murmured, and then hobbled around the creature to inspect his scaly tail, tapping the lumpy spines with his toe. Shaking his head, he hopped back in front of the gator, "Um, can you open your mouth a sec? I need to have a look in there," he asked.

Raising an eye ridge in confusion, the gator complied, opening his large jaws wide. His eyes widened in shock as Mikey suddenly stuck his little head straight inside, seemingly examining his razor fangs with intense consideration.

What did this child think he was doing?! He could easily rip his head off without even trying, and yet he would simply stick it inside his jaws as if he were looking inside a rabbit hole?

Did this little one really trust him that much, even after only just meeting him?

His heart throbbed suddenly. This little turtle was just like how Kenshin used to be; so curious, so young, so naïve…and so willing to trust a gigantic monster like him…

Mikey withdrew his head from inside his mouth, and the gator closed his jaws, looking down at him as if waiting for his next inspection. "Could you bend your head down a second?" he asked, and the gator obeyed. Mikey stood up on his tiptoes as he rubbed his cheek on his scaly head.

The gator couldn't deny it that it felt really good as he let out a low grumble from his throat in mild delight.

Mikey grinned, "You like that?" he laughed.

"…yes," the gator chuckled.

Mikey laughed again, "Me too! It feels like a back scratcher, but for your face! Because, y'know, your head is kinda leathery…" He then pursed his lips in thought. "Hmmm…how about Head Leather… Heather?"

He then let out an excited gasp as he leapt away to stand in front of him, "No, wait! Leather Head! Even better; Leather Head!" he announced happily.

The newly named mutant alligator, 'Leather Head', sat back and smiled softly. "Leather Head it is," he said, "thank you."

Mikey shrugged with a grin, "No problemo! It's what I do," he replied nonchalantly as he sat back down, crossing his legs as he looked up at his new friend. "So…how did you get stuck in this place too?" he asked.

Leather Head looked down again and sighed. "…I had just arrived in this land, looking for a place to hide myself from the eyes of the humans that lived here. I had entered the forest, and wandered too far into this human campsite. They spotted me, and began to attack me. I had tried to defend myself, but I was soon overcome by their spears…and guns…"

He turned slightly to reveal several holes in his left side, congealed blood crusted over the wounds. They were small, but they had clearly done a lot of damage when they had first been inflicted upon him.

Mikey let out a horrified gasp. He had never seen an actual gun wound or had ever been shot himself, but he didn't have to be a genius to know that that must have been bad. "Dude! That's awful!" he cried.

Leather Head nodded somberly, moving back again. "The bullets have still not been taken out. If I were not a mutant, the infection would have already killed me."

"…but, those guys back there said that you almost killed _them_. Is…is that true?" Mikey probed quietly.

Leather Head's eyes grew wide slightly at that as his head snapped back up to Mikey. "…I did what?"

Mikey nodded, "Yeah, they were saying stuff like how you killed this one guy, 'Fancy Dan' or something like that…they said he didn't make it through the night…"

Leather Head turned his large head to the side and closed his eyes.

Horrid images suddenly flashed through his mind.

_Guns shots fired, and his hand clutched the wounds as he cried out in pain. He removed it to find it covered in his own blood, and he gripped his bleeding side again. Confusion clouded his mind as he wondered what he had done wrong to deserve this, and more humans tried to pin him to the ground. He suddenly saw red, and the world was a blurry mess of blood, screams of agony, before another shot fired, and everything went black._

He opened his eyes again to find the young turtle looking up at him expectantly, blue eyes wide with innocence and concern as he awaited his answer. He sighed before he answered, "…there are times when I lose control. When I awaken, I am horrified by what I have done. A monster like me deserves to be chained…" he looked down at the chains wrapped around his wrists.

Mikey stared at the chains, and then looked back up at the gator sadly. "…or maybe you just _think _you're a monster…because everyone _treats _you that way…" he said sadly.

Leather Head looked at the young one in mild surprise, before nodding. "…you are wise beyond your years," he alleged.

Mikey shrugged, "Yeah, I get that a lot," he beamed. His smile faltered slightly as he scooted closer to Leather Head's uninjured side, and he rested his head against him. "…I kinda know how you feel…humans don't really like things that're different from them. But I don't think you're a monster; you're just like a…" he pouted as he struggled to find the words, "umm…like a big pussy cat!"

Leather Head looked down at him blankly, raising an eye ridge.

Mikey chuckled nervously. "Well, _something_ like that anyways…" he said, snuggling closer into Leather Head's side. "Don't worry Leather Head. We'll find a way outta here together. I promise!" he beamed again, his eyes twinkling with hope.

Leather Head gazed down at him, and was truly touched by this young one's childlike hope and innocence, and a smile found its way across his features as he lowered himself down, curling his body around the turtle and wrapping his tail around him protectively as he lay down. "In that case, we must rest," he offered, "and wait until the opportunity arises to escape."

Mikey grinned wider, nodding in agreement as he snuggled into the giant's side. He felt safe around this mighty creature, like he was a solid rock that would defend him from anything that would try to cause either of them any harm.

Kind of like Raphael in a way, but much bigger and less cranky.

Before they both dozed off together, Leather Head looked down at the freckled child once more, and a tear threatened to fall from his eye. He was just like Kenshin was all those years ago. It could be possible that he was his reincarnation, as the old villagers of this land had believed happened often; when one dies, they are reborn as someone or something else in another time and place.

It appeared that he had one thing to thank his captors for, which came as a thought as he lay his head down next to the napping turtle, closing his eyes as a small smile appeared.

He had finally been reunited with his old friend.

* * *

The sun was at its highest peak that late afternoon as it hovered over the vast forests of Kyoto. It beat down upon the two strange travelling companions like a blazing inferno, much to their dismay. The many cicadas that occupied the trees and bushes chirped loudly around them, as did the birds as they flew above the trees, startling some of the other animals that took refuge in their forest home, but not as much as the pair of odd trespassers that walked through the dirt paths.

"_Phew_! And I thought New York got hot sometimes, but the weather here is ridiculous!" Casey Jones muttered, wiping sweat off of his brow as he trekked through the thick bushes. Now he wished he hadn't worn his long sleeves.

It's February! It shouldn't be this hot already!

In front of him, Master Splinter chuckled. "Indeed, Mr. Jones. But you will get used to it, I am sure," the rat master reassured, moving large leaves aside to allow the young human to step through first, "though I must admit, whilst having fur does have its advantages, it does little to hinder the heat."

Casey chuckled, "Heh, yeah. I can only imagine what it's like to, y'know, be covered in fur and stuff…" His eyes widened as he let out a shudder. Making a mental note to _never_ think about that again, he continued after the giant ninja master, listening to the sounds of the forest around him.

The two of them had been wandering through this massive forest ever since they had split up from the turtles, finding nothing but a small trail of faded footprints. After spending the night under a fallen tree trunk, they rose early to find the trail gone, covered up by the trails of animals that had meandered past during the night. Luckily enough, Splinter was a rat, meaning he could still catch Robyn's scent amongst the other scents in the forest; she had applied some strong smelling perfume that Splinter instantly recognized.

When Casey had asked him how he knew which perfume se wore, Splinter mentioned how she had actually come to him one day with a handful of perfumes, asked him what perfume smelled better for her (or at least which one didn't burn a hole through his nose).

The two of them often engaged in the occasional conversation, such as what Casey intended to be when he graduated from high school, which he replied happily with either a professional hockey player, or an international bounty hunter.

Well, Splinter mused, with the way he and his hotheaded Raphael interacted with each other, he reckoned the latter was going to be just right for him.

At the thought of his sons, his body suddenly tensed up as they walked. His sons…were they alright? Had they succeeded in finding April and Michelangelo?

What if they had been discovered and captured as well? He could not bear the thought of losing all of them.

He couldn't lose another family.

Though Casey was no ninja by any means, he could see the tension in the old rat's features. It was something, as a son of a slightly overprotective father himself, that he could see as clear as daylight. Hesitantly, Casey reached up and put a hand on Splinter's shoulder. Splinter started slightly at that, and he looked down at the young vigilante with a curious furry brow raised.

Smiling, Casey patted his shoulder. "You shouldn't really worry about them, Master Splinter, sir," he reassured awkwardly, "they're the baddest ninjas I know! Well, besides Karai, but that's not the point. They can handle a rescue mission no problem! Am I right?"

He then sent the old rat master a cave mouthed grin.

Blinking in surprise for a moment, Splinter smiled back, lifting his clawed hand and ruffling the boy's hair. "Indeed, Casey, you are correct," he mused, "and very observant. Thank you."

Casey shrugged. "No problem, rat dude," he smirked, cracking his neck from side to side, "That's Casey Jones right there for ya!"

Splinter shook his head and chuckled again at the teen, continuing on ahead. He had forgotten how vigilant the young lad proved to be at times. In fact, he had seen so first hand, back when he and the young kunoichi, Karai, had broken into the old hideout of The Shredder to rescue him, back when he and his sons had been separated. He showed wisdom beyond his years when he confronted the group of boys that had once followed under The Shredder's command.

He understood what it was like to be part of a broken family, and he used that against the ones who claimed that their so-called 'family' was justified in what their mission had been. Eventually, they had sided with him and his family against The Shredder, and had even cheered for them all after his defeat.

Splinter knew that this boy would definitely grow to become something great. And he would not be alone; he would have Raphael and the rest of his family behind him until the very end.

Suddenly, the ninja master came to a halt, shooting his arm out in front of Casey to stop him. Casey looked up at him in confusion, but immediately understood as the old rat knelt down into the grass, and Casey followed suit, taking out his hockey mask and putting it over his face, and covering his head with his black hood.

Something, or someone, was there.

Splinter pricked his ears, his senses heightening as he crept through the bushes, whilst wordlessly admiring Casey's silent follow.

He heard voices farther down the trail. He also sensed the foul scent of alcohol in the air as they crept closer. They peeked over the top of the bushes, and their eyes widened as they caught sight of a campsite, filled with filthy looking humans. Several men, all of them holding strong British accents, were sitting or drinking, laughing with their partners, or standing guard, holding guns under their arms. But that was not what shocked them the most.

Robyn O'Neil was there, lying down inside a wooden cage. She appeared unharmed, but she was still dressed in her Japanese pajamas, covered in dirt. She didn't move at all, and if it were not from the rise and fall of her chest, they would have deemed her dead.

Splinter let out a soft snarl through his fangs. How dare those brutes treat her like an animal? Had they no honor or even a shred of dignity in them?

Casey seemed to share the same thought as he growled behind his hockey mask. "We gotta get her out of there!" he hissed in a loud whisper.

Splinter nodded. "That is much easier said than done, Casey," he replied lowly, "I cannot allow them to see me, and they are heavily armed."

Casey lifted up his mask so Splinter could see his smile. "Yeah, but so am I! I'll be able to take them down, don't worry!" he asserted confidently.

Splinter stared at him blankly, and then let out a breath. This boy was truly reckless…and admittedly slightly crazy. He was still very inexperienced, and he was up against several armed men, with nothing but hockey sticks, a baseball bat, and his own strength. He would surely end up getting himself badly hurt, or worse.

Splinter was responsible for the safety of this boy as long as he was in his company, and any harm brought upon him would be his fault. He had a family waiting for him back home, and if they should lose him, he could never live with himself.

But Robyn's safety was on the line. And he had seen Casey fight many times before, and he always proved to be as skilled and as strong as any boy his age. He could do this.

"…very well," he finally relented with a sigh, but then held up a finger as he stared at him with a stern expression, "however, if you find yourself unable to continue, you must call for me. Is that understood?"

Casey nodded firmly, his own expression firm as he slipped his mask back over his face and snuck back into the bushes, moving around Splinter as he vanished from his sight.

Splinter shook his head, praying that he had not just made a big mistake.

Casey silently approached two of the guards that stood the closest to where he knelt, circling them from behind, not making a single sound as they remained unaware of his presence. They were the only two armed ones out of all of them, and Casey counted seven goons all together in this single campsite.

Seven against one? Too easy!

First thing's first though, he needed to remember what Raph had told him. Know your enemy; take out the guns first, then go for the sober ones. The drunkards should be no problem.

Well then, time to go to work!

Nodding, Casey dug into his belt pocket and took out two smoke bombs, courtesy of Donatello, and he stood up and tapped both men on the shoulder. They snapped their heads around, and before they could react, the smoke bombs were thrown in their faces, and Casey drew out his baseball bat, clonking them both over the heads as they fell to the ground in a heap.

"Casey Jones one, gunmen zero!" he laughed.

The noise attracted the attention of the other men as they ran (or stumbled) towards him, all of them screaming curses at him. Casey only scoffed as he charged head first into the fray. "_GOONGALA_!" he shouted as he attacked, his bat never missing his target as he swept the floor with them. The drunkards were the easiest of the lot, of course.

"Eat this, you filthy scum bags!" he cussed, taking out his other hockey sticks and ramming them into his attackers, felling them with several hard blows over their heads and backs. Oh if only Raph could be here to enjoy this with him!

Though they really weren't that much of a challenge; they didn't even land a single scratch on him!

Well, that was until Casey felt a fist connect to his jaw, making him stumble backwards onto his backside.

He glared up at his new foe, only to find a heavily muscled man stood over him, pumping his fist into his palm. "Ya messed with the wrong bloke, kiddy," he sneered as he loomed over the skull masked boy, "ya ready to feel pain?"

Casey scrambled to his feet, standing firmly before the muscle man. He threw down his hockey sticks, and rose is gloved hands close to his face. "Come get some, chump!" he mocked.

The large thug smirked, and with a yell, he charged for the boy.

Casey let out his own war cry as he leapt for him.

But just as the thug rose his fist to strike Casey in the face again, Casey swiftly ducked underneath his fist, and from his left baseball glove, he whipped out a stunner made from a potato masher, and electricity pulsed through the thugs body like lightning as he let out a shrill cry of pain, before falling limp to the ground, still twitching.

Casey stood over the fallen foe, dusting off his hands smugly. "And _that_ is how Casey Jones wins fights, buddy!" he taunted. He turned back to where he knew Splinter was hiding, "It's all clear, Master Splinter! Got 'em all!" he called over.

Splinter emerged from the bushes moments later, his face written with surprise as he looked over the campsite littered with unconscious bodies. He then approached the young vigilante. "Impressive skills, Casey," he praised, putting a hand on his shoulder, "I see you have been taking advice from my sons. It has done you some good; I suggest you keep doing it."

Casey grinned behind his mask, giving the ninja master a thumbs up as his chest filled up with pride. "Thanks! Now, let's get Robyn outta here," he said as they both moved to where Robyn lay unconscious in her wooden cage.

Splinter swung his fist hard at the lock, shattering it to pieces as Casey moved inside and shook her gently on the shoulder. "Miss Robyn! Wake up!" he called.

Robyn moaned in pain for a moment, her eyes blinking open, and the world came back into focus. She let out a scream as she came face to face with a skull face. "AAH! GET AWAY FROM ME!" she cried, slapping the skull in the face.

Casey yelped in pain at the slap. Jeez, that woman could land a hard hit! Maybe she had been training under April?

Quickly recovering from the hit, Casey both hands firmly on her shoulders to calm the woman down as she began to hyperventilate in fear. "Robyn, it's me! Casey!" he reassured, lifting up his mask so she could see his face. "See? It's just my mask!"

Robyn's eyes widened in disbelief. Her eyes then drifted up to Splinter, who stood directly behind Casey as he gave her a little bow. "It is good to see that you are unharmed, Miss Robyn," he greeted with a warm smile.

Robyn blinked several times. "S-Splinter? C-Casey? You're here? But, how?!" she cried, grabbing Casey and hugging the boy to her chest as tears fell down her cheeks.

Casey let out a strangled gasp as she drove all the air out of her. He awkwardly put his arms around her, patting her back reassuringly as he helped her stand. "Um, there there, Aunt Robyn, you're okay now," he chuckled tensely as she finally released him from her death grip, and he held her hands in his own. "We beat up these goons for you; they won't be going after you again, I promise."

She covered her mouth with her free hand as she fought for control over the sobs. "I-I can't believe it! You actually came!" she wailed, and without warning, she ran up to Splinter and pinned his arms to his side in a crushing hug.

Splinter stiffened upon the sudden embrace, his eyes widening in surprise as the breath left him, but he put a soft reassuring hand on her back and patted it. She had clearly been through much during her imprisonment; though he'd rather not think about what they would have done to her should they have been much longer in their arrival.

"It is alright, Miss O'Neil. You shall be safe with us now," he soothed as she finally let go.

She nodded, wiping the tears off her cheek with the back off her hand and took a steadying breath. "Thank you both so much…I have no idea how, but the fact that you're really here…" she shook her head and huffed a laugh, "April was right…you really are always there for her."

Splinter and Casey both nodded proudly. "That we are. And do not fear for your niece; my sons have already set out to rescue her. She is in good hands," Splinter reassured.

Robyn put a hand over her heart as she sighed in relief. "Oh, thank god…she's safe…"

It was then that Splinter noticed her eyes drooping, and her slight staggering as she tried to keep standing. Of course; she was emotionally as well as physically exhausted. So without a word, Splinter knelt down in front of her. "If you would permit me, I would ask you to climb onto my back," he offered, "you are still weak and weary, Miss O'Neil, so I strongly suggest that you do."

Robyn looked down at him in surprise, a warm blush covering her cheeks. "Oh…thank you, Master Splinter," she smiled, before she moved around and allowed Splinter to hook his arms underneath her legs and hoisted her up onto his back.

She rested her head against his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his neck, finally feeling safer than she had in days.

Splinter made sure that she was comfortable before turning back to Casey. "We must continue onwards, Casey. We must find my sons and April."

Casey nodded, and turned as he led the way out of the camp. Unbeknownst to Splinter, Casey made a face and rolled his eyes. "Adults are so weird," he whispered to himself, shuddering slightly as they reentered the forest, leaving the chaos of unconscious thugs behind.

However, as Robyn allowed herself to rest in the security of the ninja masters' arms, a cruel factor had slipped her mind…

The Scepter that she had carried was nowhere to be seen.


	9. Chapter 9: Around the River Bend

**A/N: Hello again! Sorry for the long wait, and here is chapter nine! I OWN NOTHING! **

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 9: Around the River Bend**

The late afternoon sun beat down upon the young, dirty and very tired travelers as they made their way quickly through the thick forests. There had been no time to stop and rest after rescuing April from Lord Norinaga's prisons, having to get as much distance away as possible without being spotted, and Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and April were on the verge of dropping on the spot. Luckily enough for them, their guide, Norinaga's rebellious son Kenshin, managed to locate a running river nearby, one that was close enough for them to rest and rehydrate themselves, much to their relief.

"Maybe this kid isn't so useless after all," Raphael snickered.

"Cool it, Raph," Leonardo warned, "nothing's stopping him from leaving us out here in the middle of nowhere to fend for ourselves, y'know."

Raph scoffed, "Oh really?" and he took out his Sais, twirling them in his hands as he sent his older brother a devilish grin. "How about persuasion," he rose his left Sai, "and reason!" he rose his right Sai.

Donnie snickered, whilst Leo raised an eye ridge, and then rolled both eyes with a long sigh.

Dammit Raph.

As soon as the young group reached the river, one that was surrounded by beautiful trees and flowed nearby a waterfall, they immediately stripped themselves of their stolen armor, and began to wash off the dry, disgusting muck off of their bodies. They even took off their belts and pads, making it easier to wash themselves. They kept their masks on though, out of habit of feeling better with them on.

Leo helped Raph and Donnie with scrubbing their shells clean, not without a little water fight though, and April watched them play with a fond smile as she bathed behind rocks as to not reveal herself completely to the boys.

She had missed them so much, and she was beyond happy to finally have them here with her.

Kenshin was standing on top of a boulder near the waterfall that carried the waters along, staring out into the distance. They were not far from Mitsu's village. He just hoped she would understand their situation and help them.

As the turtles finished their 'bath' and put their gear back on, which Leo had to help Raph with _again_ in an embarrassing 'big brother' fashion, much to Raph's dismay as he scowled and folded his arms, they heard a harsh ripping sound, and they turned to find April tearing off the half of her hakama pants legs, leaving her begs bare from the knees down.

Their eyes widened, and a mad blush covered Donnie's face as he turned away. "Whoa, April! What's all that about?!" Raph snickered.

Shrugging and planting her hands on her hip, April grinned at her brothers. "What? I'm allowed! I'm on vacation!"

The three brothers shared a glance, before bursting into laughter, with April joining them soon after "Absolutely! Shwing!" Raph laughed.

Kenshin watched them from on high and smiled. Despite their obvious differences, they really were like a family. In fact, they seemed closer than any family he had ever seen.

That made him quite envious of them.

For the next few minutes, the group stayed where they were, in hopes they would run into Casey and their Sensei, and also to simply rest themselves after a long sleepless night. Leo went off with Kenshin into the forest to see if they could find any of those campsites Kenshin had told them about in search for Robyn and their lost little brother. Donnie stood on lookout on top of the waterfall, and Raph sat next to April at the edge of the river, letting the tired red head lean on his shoulder as he wrapped an arm around hers.

Moments like these between the two were rare, simply because Raph never usually showed this much affection towards anyone, but they all understood that; it was Raph. But this time was an exception, simply because April really needed it right now, and to be brutally honest, he was just as worried about her as the others were.

He heard April sigh on his shoulder. "I'm so tired," she mumbled.

Raph chuckled. "Yeah. I know, kid. But we'll get through this. We always do."

"You think Aunt Robyn and Mikey are okay?"

Raph frowned, tightening his hold around her shoulder ever so slightly. "…they will. They _have _to be."

April frowned also, wrapping her left arm around the red turtles' shoulder, holding him closer as she closed her eyes, snuggling closer into him, though he gave a small grunt of protest, but she didn't care. "…I'm worried too, Raph."

Raph nodded. "I know."

"Well, _that's_ not something you see every day!"

Raph's eyes widened as he snapped his head around to find Leonardo standing behind them, his arms folded and a knowing smirk on his face. Raph rolled his eyes, releasing April as he stomped over and grabbed Leo by the tails of his mask, dragging him away as he cried out in protest.

April grinned and shook her head. Kenshin stepped next to her, watching the red turtle as he dragged Leo towards the edge of the river. "Do they always act like this?" he asked with a smirk.

April giggled as Raph and Leo began to wrestle, ending up with both turtles toppling into the river. "Yep!" she laughed, "But, hey, what're you gonna do? They're brothers after all; that's what they do..."

Raph and Leo burst from underneath the surface, coughing and spluttering as Donnie came down from his perch atop the waterfall, laughing at the two of them. Raph ignored his taller brother's laughter, and instead looked down at the water around him. "Hey, Leo," he beckoned, "look at this water."

Creasing his brow in confusion, Leo looked down. "…I don't see anything." He shrugged.

"Exactly!" Raph grinned. Donnie picked up a small pebble and tossed it over the water, watching as it made a triple skip before sinking into the clear depths. "There are no tires, no beer cans, no dead fish or rats…just water!"

Raph closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose, letting it out with a contented sigh as he waded through the water. "Clean, clear, beautiful water…ah, nature. I love it!"

Donnie and Leo shared a look as Donnie helped his older brother out of the river. They smirked at their red clad brother.

"It kinda makes me wanna…I dunno, migrate or something," Raph mused, and frowned in confusion when Leo and Donnie began to laugh.

"Um, Raph? Turtles don't migrate, birds do!" Donnie snickered.

Raph shrugged, wading towards them as he held his hands up, and they took his outstretched hands and hoisted him out of the river. "Hey, I got a beak, don't I?" he chortled, pointing to his snout.

Leo shook his head with a smile as he patted Raph's shoulder. "Oh Raph, if only Splinter could see you right now. He'd think you were having a Zen moment," he chuckled.

Raph shrugged him off. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's just get going already before –"

**_"_****_AAAH!"_**

All three turtles instantly snapped their heads around at the sound of their sister shrieking, and their eyes widened when they saw that an arrow had imbedded into her hakama sleeve, pinning her to the tree she leaned against.

"April!" they screeched as they moved to run to her aid, but were stopped by several arrows that barely missed their feet as they stumbled backwards with chorused yelps of surprise.

"Ambush!" April cried.

Suddenly, dozens of men leapt out from the shelter of the trees, surrounding the mutants from every angle as they drew their weapons. "Well, so much for a warm welcome!" Donnie snarled, glaring at the humans that encircled them as he stood shell to shell with his brothers.

The humans stared at the mutants with a mixture of awe and horror, calling "Demons!" and "Filthy creatures!" and "Kill them!" in their native tongue, to which the brothers, understanding Japanese entirely, did not take very lightly.

"I guess we have no choice," Leo seethed, "Turtles, Attack!"

"With pleasure, Leo!" Raph barked, and the turtles leapt into action, startling the humans as they were taken out one by one, but with every man down, another took his place. They were skilled, the turtles had to admit that much, but in comparison to The Foot, they were nothing but cannon fodder.

As she watched her turtle brothers engage the terrified but surprisingly skilled villagers, she grit her teeth together as she tugged against the arrow that held her in place, which annoyingly enough, had practically lodged itself within the tree as if it were a thick branch. Whoever had fired it obviously used strong arrows.

Several village men approached her, armed and ready to strike her down. She rolled her eyes in exasperation, and with a final hard pull, she finally ripped her arm free from the arrow and with blinding speed that took them all by surprise, she whipped out her Tessen from her hakama belt and struck them all down within seconds. She watched as they fell to the ground in a heap and nodded. "How's that?" she sneered, and then leapt over them to join her brothers into the fray.

The boys themselves were handling the so-called 'army' of villagers with little difficulty, though they were very skilled with what weapons they had. But with them being ninjas, they were hardly a challenge.

Donnie couldn't hold back a smirk as he flipped two men over his shoulder and into the water, watching as they spluttered and floundered around as they tried to get out. "Haha! Raph, you were right! Dunking is fun!" he called, slapping another unfortunate villager with his Bo staff into the waters as well.

"Told you so!" Raph chortled, flipping a man over his shoulder and ramming him into his comrades as they fell like dominos.

"Now's not the time to be playing around, Donnie!" Leo called back, blocking attacks from spears and arrows as he flipped his katanas in fluid motions, growing more and more irritated by their relentless attacks with every passing minute.

"Do these guys ever give up?!" Raph barked angrily, thrusting the tsuka of his Sai into the heads, chests and stomachs of attacking villagers, felling them one by one whilst also dodging arrows from every corner.

One flew directly towards his face, and he only had a moment to dodge it as it nicked his cheek, drawing blood. His angry green eyes snapped in the direction of the shooter, who appeared to be a woman with long flowing dark hair, and piercing dark eyes that glared at the mutant with no short amount of disgust.

Raph growled darkly, spinning his Sai in his hands as he faced the woman archer. "Big mistake, sweetheart," he sneered, and with a yell, he charged her.

She quickly sheathed her bow and from her obi belt, drew out a long sword, and charged him also, the two of them locking blades.

On the other side of the river, Leo and April stood back to back against several men armed with long spears and swords. Behind her, April heard Leo sigh. "What's wrong, fearless? Too much for you?" she teased, swiping g her Tessen across the face of another persistent villager.

Leo rolled his eyes with a smirk as she rolled over his shell to take out an attack from his side, and then slashed his blades across another. "Stop that!" he chuckled, "I'm just getting frustrated that these people can't just – **_WAAH!"_**

Before Leo could react, vines were thrown over him, and entangled him as he fell to the ground, his arms pinned to his side as he struggled to stand up again, only to have several men hold him down. "Hey! Let me _go_!" he cried, thrashing against their hold.

"Leo!" April cried, her eyes narrowing as she closed in on his captors, only to be snagged away at the last moment by several strong arms, dragging her away from the trapped turtle despite her efforts to escape. "Let go of me! Leave him alone!" she growled, but they heeded her not.

Donnie snapped his head to the side, and saw that Leo and April had been caught. "Leo! April!" he gasped, whacking his current opponent over the head as he rushed to aid his older brother and the love of his life, gritting his teeth in anger as he raised his staff to strike.

Which was when a large net was suddenly thrown over him, tangling him up in its snare as he toppled to the ground with a startled yelp. He growled as three men dragged him by the ends of the net towards the center of the battle grounds like a helpless catch, even as he struggled furiously, yelling Japanese curses at them.

Leo growled angrily as he watched them drag his helpless brother. "Donnie!" he cried, his struggles becoming more desperate, "let him go! Leave my brother _alone_!"

Raph spun around to find that the remainder of his family had been captured, and he turned back onto the black haired archer with killing intent as the two locked blades. "I figure that you're the leader, right? Tell your guys to let my brothers go, or I'll turn you into the worlds' ugliest punching bag!" he snarled.

The woman sneered at him, thrusting his sais off her blades as she flipped over him gracefully, pulling out a poisonous dart as she landed, and was about to imbed it within the turtles' neck, when suddenly…

"**_YAMETE!"_**

Everything suddenly came to a stop, and all eyes snapped up to the top of the waterfall, where Kenshin stood glaring down at the villagers overpowering the turtles.

Or to be accurate, glaring down at the woman about to impale a dart into Raphael.

The woman's eyes grew wide, her hand lowering as she stared up at him. "Kenshin?"

From where he lay trapped under the men's weight, Leo looked up from Kenshin to the archer and back again. "Wait? You know this girl?"

Kenshin nodded, leaping from his perch and landing on the sand. "Mitsu," he called, "tell your men to release them. They are of no danger to you or the village. They are my friends, good spirits sent down from the Spirit Mountains to help us."

The area became filled with gasps of shock and wonder as they gazed upon the mutants, who in turn stared at Kenshin in a mixture of shock and 'what the hell are you talking about?' looks.

Mitsu dropped the dart, and drew closer to Raphael's face. He remained still, his green eyes narrowing as he glared at her and folded his arms over his plastron. Without turning away from the glaring turtle, Mitsu called out to Kenshin, "Is what you're saying true, or do you lie to me as well?"

Kenshin's face softened as he approached her, laying a hand on her shoulder. "I would never lie to you, my _koibito."_

Her gaze slid down to the hand on her shoulder, and then up to Kenshin, staring into his eyes for any sign of a lie. They held nothing but sincerity.

With a soft breath through her nose, she nodded, turning to her men. "These creatures are Kappa from the mountains here to aid us! Release them at once!" she ordered.

With haste, the village men set about untying Leo and Donnie from their nets and vines, and released April as she hurried over to them, making sure they were unhurt, which to her relief, apart from the odd scratch and bruise, they were fine.

Raph pushed passed Mitsu and moved towards his brothers and April, not yet sheathing his Sai as he stood in front of them almost protectively. "You guys alright?" he asked.

They nodded. "Yeah, we're good," Leo huffed, "still…captured by the village people. Not very humbling, is it?"

Donnie and Raph began to smirk, whilst April rolled her eyes with a tired smile.

Yep, they were going to be just fine.

As the men gathered their weapons and helped up their comrades, Kenshin approached Mitsu again. "Mitsu, we have come to seek your help. The young woman, April O'Neil, is wanted by my father, and her aunt is lost in the woods. We think that she and the Kappa's youngest brother have been taken by Walkers' men, and we need your help to find them. Please Mitsu…"

Mitsu folded her arms over her chest firmly. "If they are Kappa from the Spirit Mountains, then can they not seek them out themselves?" she probed.

Before Kenshin could retort, Raph pushed him out of the way and snarled, "Look lady, we haven't got all day! My brother is out there, with some power hungry maniacs probably torturing him, and we need your help to find them, because we have no idea where to start looking! Are you gonna help us or not?!"

Mitsu was not intimidated by the turtles' actions, and instead rose herself to appear taller than she was as she glared down at him. "What could we possibly gain from helping you?" she queried darkly.

"If you help us, then we'll help you free your people."

Mitsu turned on the blue masked turtle, who approached her and calmly put a hand on his brother's shoulder to still him. "Trust us, we're just as involved in this whole Norinaga deal as you are; he wants something from both your people and our family. You help us, and we'll help you. Deal?" He held out a scaly, green, three fingered hand out to her.

She looked down at it, and then slid her gaze to the angry red turtle next to Kenshin, who nodded his head to her once, and then to the young red haired girl that stood beside the taller purple masked turtle. Her eyes were wide and somewhat pleading, and Mitsu could not bring herself to deny them any further.

These creatures were indeed very powerful, and if they could help them regain what rightfully theirs, she had no other choice. This was for her people, after all.

She let out a breath, and took the turtles' hand in hers and shook it. "Very well. Come." She said, and with a loud Japanese command, the villagers and the turtles followed her lead, away from the river and back through the forest.

AS they walked, ignoring the light murmurs of the men behind them, Raph tapped Leo on the shoulder. "Leo, do you really think these guys will help us find them?" he asked in a hushed tone.

Leo glanced at him once, and then turned his gaze to the back of Mitsu's head as she walked ahead of them. "It's our only option, Raph," he said, "they know this land a lot better than we do, and with any luck, we'll run into Casey and Splinter."

"Well, yeah, but happens when they turn on us," Raph cautioned darkly, "and they _will _turn on us."

"Well just have to trust that we'll see it coming first," Leo replied, and then said no more as he continued forwards.

Raph only shook his head. "I hope you know what you're doing, man," he muttered to himself.

The large group continued to trek through the tick forests, not once coming across another campsite, or any giant rats (much to the turtles' dismay). However, along the way to Mitsu's village, the men behind the turtles once again began to marvel at them, muttering in armament amongst themselves. Donnie tuned in for a moment, and he nearly blushed upon hearing how 'the tall one was holding that red haired girls' hand like they were _together_' and he immediately dropped it, much to April's confusion.

"Donnie? You okay?" she asked. She had allowed him to hold her hand earlier, so why only now did he realize he was doing it and drop it?

"Nothing!" Donnie squeaked, blushing madly as he turned his gaze elsewhere.

April quirked a brow up at him, before she heard snickering behind her, and turned to find the men pointing and giggling at Donnie's embarrassment. They caught her gaze, and stopped entirely as she glared daggers at them. Without taking her eyes off of them, she grabbed Donnie's hand, much to his shock, and held it tight, then turned her head around and walked side by side with the flustered mutant.

"Ignore them, Donnie," she said simply.

Donnie stared at her for a moment, and then looked down at her dainty hand holding his freakish green one, and he smiled, holding hers tight as they walked.

From in front of them, Leo and Raph shared a knowing smile.

The continued onward, until they finally reached the edge of the forest, coming out from the trees and bushes and onto a steep, rocky hill that sat high above the ground, and the turtles and April marveled at the sights below them. A vast green landscape littered with beautiful trees and flowers dotted everywhere.

"Whoa…" Raph breathed, "This is…pretty amazing. I might cry."

"Go ahead, I won't judge," Leo said without looking away from the landscape.

"Look at that, April!" Donnie exclaimed, pointing out to the distance, "You can see Mt. Fuji from here!"

April squinted her eyes, and then gasped in awe and wonder. "Wow! You're right! It's so beautiful!" she breathed.

Donnie slid his eyes down to her with a knowing smile.

Leo and Raph nearly burst out laughing, but instead began to whisper a tune that Donatello had grown to hate. "_Smooooooth Donatellooooooo!" _they sang.

Donnie growled at them.

At the very front of the line, Mitsu suddenly stopped, holding her hand up and voicing a command that made everyone else come to a halt. Her eyes were wide and terrified as she looked down at a village, hidden slightly by the trees, but clearly visible now as smoke poured out from it.

"My village!" she cried.

The men began to panic, as did Kenshin as he looked down as well, seeing the thick black smoke rise into the air, and hearing the sounds of screaming people as they fled for their lives. Walker had found the village?!

Leo, Raph, Don and April stared down at the village, and their hearts sank. "People are gonna die down there if we don't do something!" Donnie cried.

"Wait a second," Raph muttered, "didn't they say that Mikey could be in there?"

The mutants and April shared a terrified look.

"**_MIKEY!" _**they cried, and they leapt over the heads of the village men and Mitsu as they ran down as fast as they could, praying that Mitsu and Kenshin were wrong, and that Mikey really wasn't down there.

But if he was, they prayed that they got there before it was too late.


	10. Chapter 10: Kappa's of the Village

**A/N: Hi guys! Long wait, very sorry!**

**This is a FREAKING long chapter, so get ready! I OWN NOTHING!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 10; Kappa's of the Village**

It was now late afternoon in the forest lands of Kyoto Japan, and the sky was painted a blend of orange and red as the sun slowly began to set behind the tips of the distant mountains.

Inside the large hut of one of Walker's campsites, two strange companions lay down together, sleeping soundly in the confinements of their chains and large metal cage. The young ninja turtle, Michelangelo, laid his head heavily on the side of his new mutant friend, now named Leather Head, as his long, scaly tail was wrapped around him in a protective manner as they both slept peacefully in each other's company.

However, the peace they shared was shattered by the sounds of uproar and harsh commands being shouted out, and brought the large mutant alligator out of his slumber as he raised his head from where it rested next to the chained sleeping turtle. Blinking once in confusion, Leather Head tilted his head and strained his ears intently to listen to what was going on, without waking his snoozing charge.

"Walker wants us at the resistance village now!" one of them cried, and Leather Head heard the clicking of a gun being loaded. "They're attacking to look for those two red heads that escaped last night!"

"What, seriously?! How'd they escape?!" exclaimed another.

"The hell if I know! Something about demons or some crap! Let's just get moving!"

"Wait, what about them mutants we got here?"

"Oh, good point…well, I guess the gator is too dangerous to keep around, so let's just kill it. We'll bring along the turtle kid to show to Walker and get our money for it!"

Leather Head's eyes widened in horror, and he looked down at the small turtle, his little freckled face a picture of peace as he slept next to the mighty creature he had called his friend, and even snuggled into him as he murmured something about brothers and a thing called pizza in his sleep.

Leather Head didn't care about himself, or hadn't until recently; he thought he had lived a long enough life, and death came to them all in the end one way or another, that much he knew. They could turn him into a little bag for all he cared.

But not little Michelangelo...he was still so young.

He wasn't ready for death, not even close.

Michelangelo had already given him so much within the space of a few hours; a name, a new sense of purpose…and a new friend to call his own.

And already he was going to lose him to a couple of selfish, greedy humans that had no right to even touch him. Just the thought of what those wretched, foul humans would do to him, make him suffer and cry the way he had first seen him, made Leather Head very angry.

So. _Very_. **_Angry_**_…_

The three guards who had been talking earlier entered the small hut where they had kept the two mutants, and their eyes widened to the size of saucers as the alligator suddenly leapt up from where it lay, and roared, the ground practically trembling at the sound. Before they could stop him or even aim their weapons, he viciously tore away the chains that bound him to the floor, and gripped the metal bars that caged him and bent them apart with ease.

The guards stood no chance against him.

Michelangelo's eyes snapped wide open, and he quickly sat up and gawked up at Leather Head, who was now flinging the guards away from him and clawing at them…from outside the _bent_ cage bars.

Mikey gaped in surprise. Had he really done that?! Wasn't he unable to break out of his chains earlier?! Where the heck did all of this power come from –?

It was then that Mikey saw the look in Leather Head's eyes, and his heart sank in his chest, his eyes growing wide in fearful recognition.

His eyes were completely empty, white with blind rage, like Raph would sometimes get when he couldn't control himself…

Like when he had made Leo bleed.

That day had scared Mikey more than he wanted to admit. They had never made each other bleed like that during training, and to see Raph do that to his big brother, after all the arguments that the two had in the past, only made it all the more terrifying at the thought of the chance that it could happen again, and _not_ be an accident.

Mikey gasped in terror. Leather Head was going to kill them if he didn't do something!

Struggling with the chains still confining him, Mikey pushed himself to his feet, leapt through the metal bars and ran over to his enraged friend, who had just picked up a guard by his face and was shaking him around roughly, the guard screaming in his grasp. "Leather Head! Stop, you're gonna break his neck, dude!" Mikey cried out, begging for his friend to calm down and listen.

Leather Head snapped his empty gaze to the mutant turtle, dropping the guard as he ran away screaming, and he loomed over Mikey, snarling angrily and baring his large teeth, preparing to bite down on the smaller mutant.

Mikey shrunk backwards with a tiny whimper of fear, but then he shook his head and stood up tall, standing his ground.

This was no monster he was up against. This was his friend, his friend that was scared, lost and alone in this crazy world, just as he was. He wouldn't harm him even if he could. He just needed to do what Leonardo always did whenever he was faced with an enraged Raphael.

Stand your ground. Don't back down or let him see your fear.

"Leather Head," he said calmly, staring up at him with serene baby blue eyes, "It's me, Mikey. Turn off the crazy eyes, buddy. It's gonna be okay."

As if something had finally clicked, Leather Head blinked several times, his eyes returning to their normal green hue, and the angry haze vanishing as he looked down at the young turtle, who in turn stared up at him with a calmness that rivaled a statue, which didn't sit right on the orange clad child.

"M…Michelangelo?" he stuttered.

Mikey's staid face finally broke out into a large freckled grin. "You're back!" he cried, running up to him and nuzzling his face against his belly in what would have been a hug, if not for the chains that still bound him. "I'm glad you're okay, buddy!"

Leather Head stared down at the child in wonder, and then looked around him and down at his wrists to find that he was no longer in the cage or in chains. He saw that the bars of the cage had been bent like toothpicks, and he stared at them nonplussed.

"…did I do that?" he asked.

Mikey looked back at the broken cage and nodded eagerly. "Yep! You got us out dude, just like you promised!"

Leather Head looked down again at Mikey, and then back up t the bars. He smiled to himself.

Well, finally, something he could be proud of doing, and not even knowing he did it!

And better still, he had protected Michelangelo. Though he could not yet bring himself to embrace him back, his smile was all Mikey needed.

Mikey grinned back up at him, and then he drew away from the gator to move towards the curtains at the entrance of the hut, and he peeked through them. He scanned the area, but found nothing but a dying campfire and a few other empty tents.

It seemed as though whatever had driven the men away, they had finally left the two mutants alone. Perfect!

With a nod, Mikey drew his head back in and addressed Leather Head. "Those guys are gone, let's get the heck outta here before they come back!" he said. He then looked down at the chains around his body. "Um…could you do me a solid and cut me loose?"

Leather Head nodded with a grunt, and he ripped of the chains with little effort. Mikey stretched his free arms with a happy sigh. "Finally! Thanks dude!" he giggled, before moving over to one of the crates in the corner of the hut, kneeling down as he opened it and rummaged through it, tossing out other objects like ropes, more chains, a carrot, and he practically flung a gun as far away from him as possible before he finally found what he was looking for.

"Ah ha!" he cried out in success as he pulled out his beloved nunchaku, rubbing his cheek against them affectionately before standing up and twirling them back into his belt where they belonged.

He turned back to Leather Head with a beam. "C'mon, let's go!" he chimed happily, and he took Leather Head by his giant webbed hand as they ran out of the hut, across the empty campsite and finally escaped into the forest.

Leather Head allowed himself to be dragged along by the hand as the little turtle led him away from that godforsaken campsite, and back into the familiar serene forests that he had grown accustomed to living in for several years.

He looked down at the tiny hand that held his own monstrous one, and with a small smile, he gently held it back.

"So, where do you think we should go to hide?" Mikey asked over his shoulder as they ran through the dense trees and bushes that surrounded them.

Leather Head hummed in thought, looking at their surroundings. There were no caves or mountains that he could see from where they were, nor where there any burrows big enough for either of them to fit in, which only meant one thing…

"…I have no idea."

Mikey slowly decreased his running speed to a steady walk as he held onto Leather Head's hand.

"…me neither," he sighed hopelessly. Maybe he should have thought this through better. "Well, we'll work something out. Who knows? Maybe we'll find someone who can help us?"

Leather Head smiled. This child's innocence was far too pure.

A twig snapped loudly in the bushes.

Leather Head's eyes widened, and he quickly grabbed onto Mikey and held him close to his side. Mikey let out an "oomph!" as he collided with Leather Head's good side, and he looked up at him in confusion. "Um, dude, what're you –"

"Shh! I hear something coming closer," he growled in caution, his reptilian eyes glaring at the forest around him.

His eyes widening in realization, Mikey held back onto him, turning his head from left to right in search of whatever Leather Head had seen or heard. He prayed that they weren't more humans from that campsite.

Voices and footsteps came from the bushes, growing louder and louder as they came nearer and nearer. Leather Head let out an animalistic growl, subconsciously holding Mikey closer. He had already lost one friend; he was not going to lose another, not now, not ever.

The offenders finally broke through the bushes.

" – and I'm telling you, we were just here – w-what the?!"

Leather Head tilted his head in both surprise and confusion. Stood before him, staring up at him with wide eyes and slightly paling faces, was a teenaged boy wearing a skull faced hockey mask and armed with hockey sticks and a baseball bat strapped to his back, a giant humanoid, brown and white furred rat dressed in a crimson Japanese robe, and a frightened red haired woman stood behind him, quivering in terror.

As they stared at each other in stunned silence, Mikey's eyes grew wide as his face broke out into a grin, and he ran out of Leather Head's arms towards the giant rat. "SENSEI!" he cried.

Splinter tore his gaze away from the giant lizard and smiled widely as Mikey ran into his arms, clinging to him with all his might as the rat held him back, nuzzling his cheek against Mikey's head. "Michelangelo, my son, are you alright?" Splinter queried worriedly, drawing back slightly as he knelt down to Mikey's level, taking his face in his hands as he looked into his youngest son's eyes.

Nodding, Mikey put his hands on his father's wrists as tears started in his eyes, "Yeah, I-I'm okay, Sensei," he replied shakily, trying to keep the tears at bay for Splinter's sake.

He couldn't even begin to explain how happy he was to see his father again.

Splinter drew him back into his chest briefly once more, his heart pounding against his chest. "Don't you ever worry me like that again, my son!" he ordered, and he felt Mikey nod in his chest before he finally allowed himself to release his youngest child.

"Dude, we were worried about you!" Casey cried, a relived smile on his face as he rubbed the little turtle's head with his gloved hand.

Robin moved around Splinter as she fell to her knees, drawing Mikey in for a short loving hug, "We were looking everywhere for you! What happened to you, sweetheart?!" she probed worriedly as she drew away.

Sniffling, Mikey regained himself and replied, "Well, I was with Donnie, and out of nowhere, these creeps grabbed me, and I tried to get away but then they knocked me out and chained me up…and then I met Leather Head," he said with a smile, looking back at the mutant gator that stood by and watched as they reunited.

Splinter quirked a confused furry brow as he glanced at the alligator mutant he had seen hugging his son to his chest earlier. "Who?" he queried.

Mikey moved back to Leather Head, petting his snout affectionately. "Master Splinter, Casey Jones and Miss Aunt Robyn, meet my new fellow mutant buddy, Leather Head!" he announced with a smile and a flourish, "he's the reason why we were able to get outta that human campsite they threw us in!"

Leather Head gave the trio a shy toothy smile.

Casey gulped nervously. Robyn simply stared at the gator. Then both humans turned to look at the rat master, wondering what his reaction would be.

Splinter only nodded, and then stepped closer to the giant reptile, putting an arm around his youngest son's shoulder.

Leather Head rarely feared anything, but the intense gaze that the old rat master sent him made him turn his own gaze downwards.

"Leather Head, correct?" Splinter asked.

Leather Head nodded. "Yes. That is the name Michelangelo has given to me."

Splinter nodded back in understanding, and then a warm smile appeared on his furry muzzle as he gave him a short bow. "Thank you for rescuing my son. I am forever grateful to you," he expressed.

Leather Head looked back up in surprise, and then smiled back. "You are welcome. Michelangelo is my friend, and I would do anything to help him," he alleged, looking down at the orange clad turtle that beamed up at him.

Behind them, Casey and Robyn shared a surprised look. Then they both smiled, turning back to look up at their new mutant ally. Of course Mikey would have befriended this creature; Mikey could melt even the coldest or angriest of hearts.

That was just who he was.

Suddenly, Splinter's smile disappeared as he put his nose in the air and sniffed, along with Leather Head as a strange and foul scent filled the air. It wasn't long until Mikey, Casey and Robyn could smell it too, an all too familiar smell that they instantly recognized with a chorus of soft gasps.

Smoke.

Lots and lots of smoke.

There was a fire somewhere near where they stood. And now that they were silent, they could hear the many screams and shouts of humans, fleeing for their lives.

"The village!" Leather Head grasped with a sharp intake of breath, "the one filled with the refugees from the other village north of here. There must be an attack by Norinaga!"

"Nora-**_who_**?" Mikey barked in confusion.

"I will explain later, but we must hurry! There are innocent people in that village that will die if something is not done!" he hastened, grabbing Mikey and setting him securely on his back as he began to run in the direction of the smoke. "Hurry, my friends!" he called over his shoulder to Splinter and Casey.

Splinter nodded, turning to Robyn. "Forgive me, but we must make haste," he said simply, before scooping up Robyn in his arms as she let out a surprised squeak, and he ran after the mutant gator with Casey Jones on his heels.

AS they ran, Splinter had a feeling deep within his chest that they were going to find something more than just humans in that village. He knew from experience that whenever there was trouble of any sort…

…his sons would always follow.

* * *

The entire village was filled with the sounds of screaming citizens and crying children as one after another, homes became ablaze and goons blasted their guns in the air, many being injured in the process. It was truly a horrible sight to behold, but not to the eyes of Walker as he rode through on his white horse, the simplest mode of transportation for now. He sneered over his dark sunglasses, and wafted away the odor of the beast he sat upon. He never did like horses that much, but it was all he had for the moment.

"Find the girl! Find Kenshin! Find the scepter, and then burn this place to the ground!" he shouted over the noise, "There's a reward for the one who brings me the scepter! Go!"

His men obeyed eagerly, blasting their way into the village and tearing through the houses, not caring about the people who fled or begged for their lives as they searched, but they found no trace of the red haired girl, the headman's son, or the scepter.

Through all the chaos, an elderly man with a long white beard and carrying a wooden staff ran back into the village, searching frantically. "Yoshi?! Yoshi!" he cried desperately. He prayed to the gods that his little grandson had not already perished in the flames or by the hands of the gunmen.

But his desperate search was interrupted as he was suddenly dragged and thrown roughly to the ground, and two of Walker's men stood over him, smirking coldly at his prone form. "Well, well, well gramps," one laughed, aiming his gun at the frightened old man's head, "It looks like you're outta time!"

"No, _you're _the one who's outta time, pal!"

The two men spun around, and they gasped in horror as they came face to face with a giant, green faced, and red bandanna wearing turtle, who glared at them with furious green eyes as he pounded his fist into his palm.

The men wasted no time in screaming and running away from the turtle, and he leapt over the stunned old man as ran after them, drawing his Sai from his belt as he laughed. "Wait, don't go! I'm really a beautiful princess in disguise!" he taunted, "Break the spell! Gimme a kiss!"

The two men sprinted away from the creature, and ran into 'Potbelly', 'Skeleton Face' and 'Dopey', and they began stammering in fear about a monster, until Walker finally rode towards them with a deep frown of disapproval. "Excuse me, boys. What do you think you're doing?" he queried.

One of the men looked up at his master and stammered, "S-sir, there's a wild demon on the loose, with a body of a man, a-and the eyes of the devil himself!"

Walker growled. "Listen to me, you blithering idiot. They're nothing but one of those stupid mountain monkeys in their ridiculous masks! Now get on with it!" he shouted, and he rode away.

After losing the two scumbags, Raphael shrugged his shoulders and turned back into the fray of gunmen, who screamed in terror at the sight of him before he beat them down one by one. Just the way he liked it.

But these dirt bags deserved worse than this though for what they had done.

He was about to go off in search for Leonardo, Donatello and April, (who had all split up as soon as they reached the village both in search for Mikey and Robyn, and in order for April and Kenshin to help the people escape the burning buildings,) and he turned to find a middle aged, blonde haired man sat upon a white horse, staring at him in awe, frozen on the spot.

Raph turned around fully and glared at him. He could only assume that this 'cowboy' was the leader of this merry band of fools. Walker, wasn't it?

"See something you like, Butch?" he spat, twirling his Sai in his three fingered hands, "Didn't you know Westerns are dead, pal?"

Walker stared at the creature for a moment longer, before smirking as he whipped out a gun, aiming it at the red clad creature. "Speaking of dead…" he jeered.

Raph froze, his green eyes going wide. There was no way he was going to get out of the way in time, and not even his shell could save him from a bullet.

Walker aimed. "Goodbye, freak!"

Raph covered his face with his arms and squeezed his eyes shut.

He was done for.

However, just as the bullet was fired, time seemed to come to a stop as a green and blue figure, in a speed no man could hope match, moved in front of Raph, and using his katana blade, sliced the bullet directly in half, and the two halves hit the house behind them instead.

Gasps and cries of shock were heard, and Raph lifted his head to find Leonardo stood with his shell facing him, a single katana held sideways in front of him as his ocean blue eyes glared almost savagely at Walker, who in turn gazed at the new turtle in incredulity and what he had just seen, and horror upon the look in his eyes.

"You wanna try that again?" Leo snarled lowly, his voice nearly freezing the blood in Walker's veins.

Raph let out the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, and smiled at his brother. "Dude, great timing!" he laughed shakily.

Leo slid his gaze to his younger brother and gave him the smallest but most sincere smile, then it was gone again as he glared back up at Walker. "Turn your horse," he hissed, "And get. The _hell. _Out of here."

Walker growled angrily, and turned his horse. "You haven't seen the last of me, creature!" he spat as he rode his horse away from the angry blue turtle. But his escape was short lived when he was then surrounded by the village men that had followed the turtles from the river, with Mitsu and Donatello at the lead, much to Walker's shock.

A _third_ turtle?! How many of these creatures were there?!

"Not so fast, Zorro!" Donnie scowled, his Bo staff at the ready as Mitsu raised her arrow, "I heard you tried to shoot my brother. You're gonna pay for that!"

Walker found himself surrounded by angry armed villagers, and three _very _angry mutant turtles. Most of his men had already fled the area once they saw the mutants, being the cowards they were.

Finally, he saw a way out; one of the wooden gates had been carelessly broken, and it was large enough for his horse to fit through. With a grin, he whipped the reins on the horse, making a beeline for the gate, pushing past anyone that got in his way as the horse leapt through the gap with little effort, and Walker made his escape.

Just as Walker rode through the forest, Leather Head, Michelangelo, Casey, Splinter and Robyn had just burst past the gates, and watched as he galloped away.

Leather Head growled. "That was Walker!" he snarled.

On Leather Head's back, Mikey quirked a confused brow, "Really? I thought he was Clint Eastwood," he stated simply.

"Besides," Casey laughed, "when does anybody ride a horse these days?"

"Casey? Splinter? _MIKEY_?!" cried a voice from the village center.

All heads turned to find Raphael, Leonardo, Donatello and April all staring at them from where they stood in the middle of a crowd of curious villagers.

Splinter let out a breath of relief as he set Robyn back on her feet. It appeared that his hunch had been right after all; his three sons had indeed been involved in the madness.

And for once, he thanked the stars that they were.

"GUYS!" Mikey cried, sliding off of Leather Head's back and sprinting over to his brothers, followed by Casey, Splinter and Robyn. Leather Head stayed behind, not yet allowing himself to be seen by the other humans just yet.

Mikey charged right into Raph's awaiting arms, the force nearly knocking the two of them over as Raph spun his laughing little brother as he hugged him with all the force he could muster. "Thank god you're okay, Mikey!" he cried as he stopped spinning, nuzzling his face into the crook of Mikey's neck, "If you ever scare me like that again, I will slap those stupid freckles off your face! You understand me?!"

Mikey sniffed, tears running down his face despite his smile as he hugged his older red clad brother. "Sure thing, dude," he muffled, drawing away as he rubbed his wet cheek with the back of his hand, "It's good to see you, bro."

Raph grinned, putting his hand at the back of Mikey's head and bringing it close so that their foreheads were touching, a sign of comfort and reassurance between the four brothers. "You too, knucklehead."

Leonardo smiled at the sight, before he caught sight of Splinter rushing towards them, and his smile grew wider. "Sensei!" Leonardo cried as he ran up to his ninja rat master, "We were looking everywhere for –"

He let out an "oof!" as he was suddenly pulled into a strong embrace as Splinter wrapped his arms around him and pulled him to his chest.

"I am relived you are all alive and safe," he said softly, and pulled away enough to lay a hand on his eldest son's cheek. "You have succeeded in finding April, and saving this village. Well done, my son."

Leonardo smiled, putting his hand over his father's. "Thank you, Sensei," he said.

Donnie watched as April and Robyn shared a tearful embrace, smiling at the fact that Robyn was safe and sound, and April was finally happy again. He then felt a gloved hand slap him hard on the shell, and turned to find Casey grinning down at him. "You guys didn't get yourselves killed. Nice work, gap tooth!" he laughed.

Donnie rolled his eyes with a tolerant smile. "Thanks, Cave Mouth!"

From where he hid, Leather Head gazed upon the reunion between them, and a warm smile tugged on his lips.

This strange, _strange _family were finally together again.

Suddenly, a sound from a burning building caught all of their attention.

"Help! Grandpa! Help me!"

They all turned to find a young child, no older than six years old it seemed, trapped inside the burning building with no way in or out, his dirty face streaked with tears as he cried out desperately.

"Holy crap! That kid's stuck!" Leo cried.

"Yoshi!" the elderly man that Raph had saved ran and pushed passed the other villagers as he tried to get to the building.

Raph struck out an arm and held him back, "Wait! You can't go in there!" Raph barked, but the old man shook his head.

"No, please! My grandson, Yoshi! I must save him!" he wailed.

"But if we go in there, the whole thing might collapse!" Donnie cried, looking back at the house desolately, "I-I'm sorry but – **_MIKEY_**! What are you _doing_?!" he then screamed.

They all spun around, and gasped in shock to find Mikey running towards the blazing building before any of them could stop him, his face creased with determination as he grabbed a ripped potato sack from a smashed crate. "Don't worry! I'll get him out of there!" he called over his shoulder.

"Mikey! Get back here!" Leo called, preparing to run after him, but Splinter held him back firmly. Leo looked up at his master in shock and confusion. "Sensei, why are you – ?!"

"We cannot go after him now, Leonardo" Splinter warned, not taking his eyes away from his youngest son, not moving an inch as he restrained Leonardo, and refusing to leap after him and stop him from entering that building, even though his heart beat furiously in fear, "It is too late to stop him. He must go in alone."

Every instinct Splinter held within him told him to go after him, save him before he lost him like he lost Tang Shen, and little Miwa. But if he were in the elderly man's place and one of his sons were inside that house, and there was absolutely _nothing_ he could do, he too would have wanted someone, anyone to do something to save them.

He had to let Michelangelo do this alone, and pray that he came out safely.

Mitsu and Kenshin finally arrived on the scene, and Mitsu's face was written with panic as she approached the old man. "Grandfather! Where is Yoshi?!" she cried.

"He is inside!" Grandfather replied, pointing to the burning building, "He cannot get out!".

Mitsu's face turned pale with horror as Kenshin held her shoulders to keep her from fainting. "No…my little brother…" she whimpered.

Mikey wrapped the ripped sack over his head, coughing as the smoke invaded his lungs. "Here I go!" he shouted, "**_BOOYAKASHAA!" _**

He then took a deep breath and rammed his right shoulder hard into the blocked door, rolling into the house and disappearing into the flames.

"I don't believe it! He went in!" Raph cried, "That idiot's gonna get himself killed!"

"Mikey get out of there!" Donnie screeched, "That building's gonna come down any minute! It'll bury them both!"

"Mikey, NO!" Leo cried, still struggling in his father's grip, though he knew it was futile; he wasn't going anywhere near that house now.

Robyn clung onto April's hand, and April gripped onto Casey's as the three of them stared at the blazing house, their eyes wide and fearful. April whispered a prayer over and over again, with everything she had, hoping that someone would hear her, that their little brother lived.

Seconds passed, and there was still no sign of the young freckled turtle as everyone watched in distress and hope that he reappeared with the child soon. Leather Head had seen him charge into the burning house from where he stood, and his heart throbbed. His actions were noble, but he could see the building begin to crumble.

There wasn't much time until it all came down and buried them both.

Splinter held Leonardo tighter around his shoulders, closing his eyes as he prayed, over and over. He had to make it out.

He _had _to.

He couldn't bear to lose another child.

Suddenly, just as the house finally gave in to the burning flames and came crashing down, crumbling apart into a pile of burnt, black wood and ashes, Michelangelo came tumbling from out from the wreckage, a blanketed bundle in his arms as he rolled along the ground, coughing up a storm.

"MIKEY!" his brothers cried, and they were all instantly by his side, helping him to stand as he coughed.

Mitsu, Kenshin and Grandpa rushed over also, as well as several other amazed and worried villagers, in search for the little boy that the young creature had hopefully rescued.

"Mikey, I can't believe you did that, you idiot! Are you okay?!" Donnie cried worriedly, quickly scanning his younger brother's body for any signs of burns or fatal wounds, but he was covered in ash, so it was hard to tell.

Mikey looked up at them and smiled. "Not really…but I think he is…" and he lifted the blanket to reveal the unconscious form of Yoshi in the orange clad turtle's arms.

Mitsu let out a gasp as Mikey held him out to her, and she gently took the child from his arms, kneeling on the ground as she put her hand over his ash covered face. She looked up at the mutant turtle, and nodded at him once in gratitude.

Mikey smiled and nodded back.

Raph, Donnie and Leo began to praise and scold Mikey for his actions, with April and Casey not far behind. "Way to go, Mikey!" Raph chortled, then his smile vanished as he smacked Mikey over the head, "but what did I tell you about scaring me like that, man?! You could've gotten killed!"

Before Mikey could retort, Splinter and Leo enveloped him into a tight hug. "Don't you ever do that to me again, Michelangelo! You scared me half to death! Do you understand?" Splinter cried, holding both his sons close to him, and never wanting to let them go again. He had come only seconds from losing another child…

"You could've died, Mikey…but you're a hero," Leo said, looking down at Mikey with pride, "Nice work."

Mikey beamed up at them. Finally, he had done something right!

"Grandfather," Mitsu breathed, her eyes wide and full of fear as she drew her ear away from Yoshi's chest, looking up at the elderly man, "there is no life in him."

The turtles snapped their gazes to her, looking down at the child that lay motionless in her arms. His chest was not moving, and his face had gone quite pale, even though he had just come out from a burning building. The turtles drew closer, and Donnie put two fingers to the child's neck. His expression fell.

"He must've inhaled too much smoke…" he said gravely, "…he suffocated…"

Mitsu choked back a sob as she held the poor child, and Grandpa began to quietly weep. The young turtle had done all that he could, but in the end, it was still not enough.

Leonardo gritted his teeth together and knelt down in front of Mitsu, his arms spread out. "Give him to me," he said. When Mitsu only looked up at him in alarm, he urged her, "Please, I can help, let me take him!"

Mitsu looked into the turtle's blue eyes, and she nodded, gently handing the child over to him as he stood up and held him in his arm. "Everyone, keep back!" he ordered, "give me some room!"

His brothers knew what Leo was going to do and they ushered the villagers away, with the help of Splinter, Casey and April. "Everyone stand back, give the guy some room!" Casey called, and they turned back to watch as Leo lay Yoshi's still body on the ground again. Leo bent down, pinching the child's nose as he performed 'mouth to mouth', breathing air into him repeatedly.

Mitsu gasped, and was about to rush over and stop him, but Kenshin held her back. "No, Mitsu! You must let him try!" he urged.

"No!" she cried, "he is casting an evil spell!"

Donnie shook his head, placing a hand on her shoulder. "No, he's trying to help. Just let him try, please."

Despite herself, Mitsu did as Donatello had asked her and stayed back, watching as Leonardo now pushed his hands down firmly on the boy's chest. "Keep back everyone, I need more time!" he said.

The villagers continued to watch, peering over the shoulders of the creatures that stood before them in concern. Splinter observed his eldest son with a firm expression, but his heart was beating fast in slight dread; the child did not respond whatsoever to his CPR tactics, and the old ninja master feared the worst.

Raph watched as he supported Mikey with an arm around his shell. "Come on, Leo," he urged quietly, "you can do it…"

Suddenly, Yoshi began to cough and gasp for air, his little body trembling as he struggled to breathe. The crowd of humans gasped, others crying out in relief as the child began to move and breathe again, and Mitsu's eyes widened. Her little brother was alive!

Leo heaved a sigh of relief, helping the little one regain his breath as

he sat him up in his arms and patted his back. "Easy there, Yoshi," he soothed, standing up with the boy in his arms, "you're gonna be okay now, alright?" The little boy nodded shakily at the mutant.

Leo smiled down at him, and then looked back up at Mitsu, who had moved past Donatello and rushed up to him, and he eased Yoshi into her arms. "He'll be okay," he reassured.

Mitsu nodded as she held her little brother close to her heart, traces of tears trickling down her cheeks as she embraced the little one. "_Arigatou_…," she whispered. Leo smiled and bowed to her in return.

It was then that his brothers, April and Casey swarmed him, patting his back and praising him for his actions. "Way to go, Leo! You did it, bro!" Mikey croaked, his voice still cracking after inhaling so much smoke.

Splinter and Robyn watched the teenagers, and they shared a knowing smile. The village had been saved, and so had the life of an innocent child, thanks to his four, highly trained warriors that continued to make him proud every day. For now, it seemed as though the worst was behind them.

"Thanks guys," Leo said as his family finally pulled away, "I just hope after all of this that the villagers won't be afraid of us anymore…"

Donnie tapped Leo on the shoulder, not tearing his eyes away from the human crowd around them. "Uh, Leo…you might wanna look," he said.

They all turned to find the humans bending down on their knees, their heads bowed down in respect. "Praise the Kappa!" Mitsu's grandfather called, "they are here to save our village!"

"Praise the kappa!" another shouted.

"Thank you so much for saving us!"

"Kappa, Kappa!"

Soon, the entire village was filled with the sounds of cheering and laughter as they all applauded the mutants and their human companions, who had come from afar to save their homeland. The aforementioned 'saviors' all shared looks of confusion.

Raphael smirked, folding his arms over his chest. "…well, it's a start!"


	11. Chapter 11: Leather Head's Tale

**A/N: Hi there lovelies! FWI, I might actually split chapter 10 in half at a later date, because I want this to be longer than 20 chapters at least, and to be honest...it's a pretty long chapter. But for now, i'll leave it. **

**Here's chapter 11, where we learn more about Leather Head!**

**I OWN NOTHING!**

**Credit for this chapter goes to SMDKFan on DeviantArt! You rock!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Leather Head's Tale**

Late in the hours of the night, inside the castle at the edge of cliff, an angry Lord Norinaga paced the wooden floorboards of his chambers, his hands folded behind his back as he glared at the blonde haired man that stood before him. "So, Walker-san," he growled, "not only have you failed to retrieve my son, the girl, and find the scepter…but you have also failed to capture these so-called, 'demons' that had so easily defeated you and your cowardly army. I am most disappointed in you…"

Walker heaved a frustrated sigh as he leaned against the door-frame of the room. It was still far too difficult to believe that he had actually seen what he had seen in the village they attacked earlier that day. From what Walker knew himself, their employers were already very strange people, and had told them to expect anything out of the ordinary.

But even so, _three demon turtles, _who also happened to be highly skilled _ninjas_? What could possibly be next; an alien invasion or something foolish like that?

The blue clad turtle's chilling glare still rattled him…maybe these creatures were better off being left alone, unless he wanted to be killed.

However, he couldn't be concerned about them right now; he had failed to please the headman, and complete his mission in finding the scepter and the girl, which were his top two priorities. How was he going to make it up to him now?

Unless he struck him another deal…

"Well, Norinaga-sama," Walker began, "how about I make you a deal; if I can get the girl, your son, and the so called 'demons' that attacked us and bring them to you, like I promised, in return, you must give me the scepter, which would allow me to take possession of this entire land, and I'll give you…sixty percent of the profits I make when I dig that place up and find the hidden mineral. We won't have to tell anyone, not even…_him. _It's not as if he can dispose of us once we hand him the creatures. What do you say? Do we have a deal?"

Walker stretched out his hand. Norinaga looked from him to his hand, seemingly pondering over the choice he had to make. Capture the mutants and the human girl, hand them over to his master and destroy the village, or turn the offer down and continue to live as a normal headman of a run down, no-good village?

The Head man smirked coldly. With the money he would get from the mineral, there would be no need for the villagers.

Norinaga took Walker's hand and shook it. "Deal."

Walker smiled. "Well then…what should we do first?"

* * *

The next morning, the village of refugees awoke to the sounds of horses galloping back into the village…with their screaming and flailing riders.

"**_WAAAAH_**, Hey, slow down horsey, _SLOW DOWN, __**WAAH**_!" Donatello cried, clinging onto the mane of his horse desperately as the creature galloped wildly into the village, nearly running over several humans in the process, "WHERE THE HECK ARE THE BRAKES ON THIS THING?!"

His brothers weren't far behind him as their horses leapt over the wooden gates and charged madly through the dirt paths.

"LOOK OUT! CLOTHES LINE!" Michelangelo screeched as his horse rode directly underneath a long clothes line, and Mikey was snagged off of it despite his tight grip on the reigns as he flipped in the air, and then tumbled to the dirt with a thud.

"**_OOF_**! Ugh, wipeout…" he groaned as several villagers rushed to his side to help the orange turtle to his feet.

Donnie finally slipped right off his horse as it bucked violently, and he was sent rolling to the ground as he landed face first in the dirt, and he simply lay there. "Owww…why is it always my face?" he mumbled miserably.

"HEY, WHOA, _HOW DO YOU WORK THIS THING_?!" Raphael shrieked as his horse leapt over a duck pen, and Raph was unable to hold on as he plummeted on his rear end painfully, being swarmed by curious ducks as he lay there on his back.

"Ugh, my butt," he groaned, and was then swarmed by other villagers who ran in to help the frustrated red clad turtle, "Next time, I'm _walking_!" he growled testily.

April, Casey and Splinter ran out from their huts due to all of the commotion, and they hurried to the turtles' side. April helped dust all the dirt off Donnie's chest and shoulders as he climbed to his feet unsteadily, still quite dizzy from his unpleasant descent off the equestrian. "Are you okay?" she asked.

Donnie sighed, "Yeah, we're good. But I am _never _getting on a horse again," he growled, "Seriously, what's what _cars _were invented for."

April huffed out a breath of laughter as she folded her arms. "I'm guessing you guys didn't find the scepter then, huh?" she asked, to which Donatello shook his head. After they had been offered to stay in the village for as long as they needed to, the turtles had discovered from Aunt Robyn that the scepter she had with her was already gone when Casey and Master Splinter had come to save her, so they agreed that they would set out first thing in the morning to go and look for it. So far, they were unlucky.

"I'm sorry April, but it looks like that thing is history," Donnie huffed.

April shook her head, placing a hand on his shoulder. "No Donnie, It's okay. You did your best, and you can try again later."

Splinter approached the two of them with an aching Michelangelo by his side. "Donatello, where is Leonardo?" he asked.

Donnie and April shared a look, just as an off tempered Raphael and Casey arrived to join the confused circle. "I don't Sensei, he was right behind us when we –"

"**_YEEHAW_**!"

All heads spun around as Leonardo finally rode into the village, standing up on his horse as if it were a skateboard and holding the reins, a large grin on his face as he galloped like a boss past his gob smacked family and wonder-struck villagers, cheering and laughing all the while.

"Adios Amigos!" he called, waving down at them with one hand still holding onto the reins.

Splinter had to turn away and slap a hand over his mouth to contain his laughter. Michelangelo straight out laughed as he held his stomach in pain. Casey smirked as Raphael glared at his older brother jealously.

Donatello placed a hand on April's shoulder with a flat look on his face. "Y'know, sometimes, I _really _hate that guy," he deadpanned.

April shook her head and chuckled.

Boys would always be boys.

* * *

After the turtles had cleaned themselves off from their little forest adventure, Michelangelo had finally decided that it was time he introduced his new friend to his family, as soon as he was able to get him out from behind the bushes.

His three older brothers and human sister were…'surprised', to say the least as Mikey presented Leather Head, a giant mutant alligator that easily towered over them, and even Splinter.

Leonardo swallowed nervously as he approached the mutant gator. "Um…hello 'Leather Head'," he chuckled, "um…I understand that you're the one who helped free Mikey, right?"

Smiling, Leather Head nodded. "Yes. He is the one who gave me my new name," he said.

"Well _that _figures," Raph mumbled, to which Donnie nudged him with his elbow and April shook her head at with a slight glare.

"Also," Leather Head continued, looking down at the younger turtle stood next to him, "he is the one that has given me a new purpose; a new reason to live my life. And for that, I am forever thankful."

Mikey beamed up at Leather Head as he wrapped his arms around his waist and nuzzled his face into his belly. Leo, Raph, Don and April were stunned speechless at Leather Head's words. Whatever Mikey had said or done in that prison they were held in, it had obviously had a massive impact on the lonely mutant, and had brought him out from the brink of darkness, bringing light and love back into his life instead.

All because of Mikey's strange but wonderful habit of making the strangest of friends.

They all smiled as Leather Head finally gathered the nerve to lower himself and hug the little turtle back.

Donnie sniffed, brushing a single tear off his face. Raph looked up at him and his eyes widened. "Are you crying?" he barked.

Donnie turned away and folded his arms defensively. "What? It's touching!" he argued. Leo only shook his head with a warm smile.

Afterwards, Donnie had taken Leather Head inside one of the vacant huts they were staying in to take out the bullets that had been imbedded into his left side. It was difficult due to his thick skin, and quite messy without his proper tools, but he was eventually able to take out all of them…_three _of them he counted in total, and sew up the gators' side and clean the blood off.

Donnie let out a satisfied sigh as he washed the blood off his hands. "Okay, you should be just fine as long as you don't move around too much or put any unnecessary strain on your body," he said, looking up at the larger mutant, "you're really lucky; if it weren't for the fact that you were a mutant, you probably would have died already."

Leather Head nodded, looking down at the bandages that were wrapped with care around his waist. He turned to Donatello, and placed a webbed hand on his head, to which the turtle was slightly startled by as he looked up at him with curious dark red eyes. Leather Head smiled. "Thank you, my friend," he said.

Donnie shrugged and smiled. "Hey, it's no problem. Besides, a friend of Mikey's is a friend of ours. You'll be safe with us, Leather Head."

Leather Head nodded. "I know."

* * *

Leather Head's appearance had without a doubt startled many people of the village, but after Michelangelo and his family had reassured them that he meant no harm to anyone, they began to instead marvel at the size and strength of this new forest spirit that had been sent down to help them, (though they were beginning to wonder why there were so many in the first place).

Even the children of the village approached him, and they began to climb all over his back, shrieking with laughter as he let them ride on him like a giant, leathery horse.

Leather Head couldn't stop smiling as the humans, instead of fearing him, played with him and treated him like they would any other.

This is what he had always wanted. And thanks to Michelangelo once again, he had gotten his wish.

* * *

Later, as the turtles and their human friends sat in a wide open field, away from the prying ears of the villagers, Mitsu, Kenshin and Leather Head gathered them together to answer the questions that the turtles needed to know about what was truly going on in this land. They had left Robyn in the village to rest for now and also as not to distress her anymore; she had been through drama enough as it is.

Casey laid himself lazily on the grass as he let out a groan. "All that trouble just so the dude can get a few thousand bucks out of an old artifact...sheesh, and they say Americans are greedy," he mumbled crossly.

"It's more than just for money, Jones..." Kenshin said as he folded his legs beneath him.

"They say that the bearer of the staff is the true ruler of my village's land," Mitsu explained, earning a sharp glance from the mutants.

"What, seriously?!" Raph barked.

Kenshin nodded grimly. "Yes. And my father will do anything to get his hands on that land."

"But why?" April asked, hugging her knees to her chest, "I mean aside from modern medicine and a little bit of electricity, you guys don't really have to do much with the modern world. What use could he have for your village?"

"There's a mineral beneath the ground that is very rare," Mitsu said, "it is worth a lot of money...but they also say that it ties in with laboratory experiments."

The four turtles shared a look. They knew all too well about scientists and lab experiments; they had almost become one of them when they first invaded TCRI.

Raph turned to Kenshin with a confused frown. "Well, we get that your dad's a businessman, Kenshin…"

"…But what does he want with the mineral?" Donnie finished.

Sat next to Michelangelo, Leather Head growled lowly. "It's not what _he _wants with mineral...it's what his employers want with it…"

Splinter looked up to the larger mutant from where he sat next to Leonardo. "Tell us; who are his employers?" he asked, but something in the pit of his stomach told him that he already knew the answer.

Leather Head looked down, and his glare intensified. "They are the ones who are responsible for making me this way...The Kraang!"

The mutants gasped collectively, and April turned visibly pale.

"What?! The Kraang are behind this?!" Donnie exclaimed, "How is that possible?!"

Leather Head raised a brow. "You are all familiar with the Kraang?"

The turtles shared a flat look. "You have no idea, Leather Head," Leo deadpanned.

Casey shuffled forwards slightly next to Raph, and looked right up at Leather Head. "So, how exactly are the Kraang behind all of this?" he asked, "and…does it have anything to do with why you're here too?"

Leather Head took in a deep breath. It was just as well that they knew the truth. "I was once an ordinary baby," he began, "and I was raised by a kind human boy, thousands of years in the past in this same land…"

Leo gasped sharply at that. "Wait…so you're not even from this timeline?!" he exclaimed.

Leather Head nodded, "That is correct, Leonardo. I lived in the time of 1603, back in the feudal period when the human raised me. That is, until his parents discovered me, and dumped me into the outside world. The Kraang found me in that time, and took me to their hidden base. They mutated me, and subjected me through _horrible_ experiments..."

He let out a shudder.

Simply remembering what those _things _had done to him, over and over again, shook him to the very core…

Mikey sensed his friend's distress, and he crawled closer to him, putting a gentle his hand on Leather Head's knee. "LH, it's okay buddy," he soothed, "you don't have to go on if you don't want to."

Leather Head looked down at his young friend and smiled in gratitude, but he shook his head. "No…you all must hear this."

Mikey hesitated for a moment, and then nodded in silent understanding, letting go of Leather Head's knee.

"They had put me through many painful experiments," Leather Head continued, "but they could not break my spirit. Six months ago in that time, I escaped from their hidden laboratories, and hid within the mountains, where the people of the village below would call me The Spirit of the Mountain, much like how the villagers here believe you are spirit creatures.

"One day, I met the young prince of the village at that time, another boy named Kenshin, who had befriended me after I saved his life when he was lost in the forest, and we had become close. Until he came across the Scared Scepter, and he was then pursued by the people of the land who had wanted to obtain it in search for the riches that it led to. In his efforts to escape, he left it to me to protect before he was captured…and later executed for his 'crime'."

April covered her mouth with a gasp. She knew this story. It was the same boy that had been buried in the forest, close to where they found the scepter...

Kenshin was innocent after all. And Leather Head…

"So, _you _were the one who buried the scepter next to Kenshin's grave?" April guessed.

Leather Head nodded again. "I swore to keep it from those who would want to use it for their own greed, in memory of the friend I had lost," Leather Head continued sadly, "However, the Kraang found me again moments after I had hidden it, and I was taken once again. I then escaped into this time period through the portal that they use to travel through time and dimensions, and I stole their power source, preventing them from _ever_ coming or leaving this dimension…"

The others gathered around the gator all shared a look of condolence to the creature. He had clearly been through a lot in his life.

It was a good thing that he had found Mikey when he did…

Clearing his throat, Leather Head carried on, "I was then found and placed in the prisons of the minions of that _wretched _man, Walker, as they searched for a new material to harvest as a new power source...but nothing they had was strong enough."

"Until they learned about the mineral in Mitsu's village," Kenshin observed, "they learned that even the tiniest grain of it could power up their portal, and they wanted the mineral...but due to laws, my father could not harvest the land. Until he heard about the staff...the staff is not only worth tons of money and is the key to obtaining Mitsu's village..."

"…But legends say that it could also locate the entire source of the mineral." Mitsu finished.

Leather Head nodded to them both. "I thought I had buried it somewhere where they could not get it, but unfortunately, Miss April O'Neil and her aunt found it, and thus they both were put at risk."

April looked down at her lap, twirling her hair anxiously in her hands. "I'm sorry, Leather Head," she said desolately, "It was our fault that all of this happened. If we had only known, then –"

Before she could finish, she saw Leather Head's large webbed hand land softly over hers, and she looked up to kind him gazing down at her with an expression full of forgiveness and understanding. "Do not blame yourself," he said, "You did not know of my promise."

April put her free hand over Leather Head's and smiled. "…thank you. And I'm sorry for your loss," she consoled.

The turtles watched them for a moment with mournful expressions, until a thought suddenly clicked in Leonardo's head. "Wait," he muttered, loud enough to gain the attention of the others as they turned to him, "...so if Norinaga's working with the Kraang...then...could he be..." he trailed off as he looked up to his sensei, his eyes wide with horrible realization.

Splinter folded his hands in his lap and nodded gravely. "It is possible my son..." he said, his voice taking a darker tone as he glared at his lap.

"…he is also working for The Foot."


	12. Chapter 12: Bonding With Yoshi

**A/N: This chapter and probably the two after it are going to be filler chapters, just to describe what the others are doing in the village, but I hope you like it!**

**I loved writing about Raph's softer side in this chapter, and despite how bad the movie was, this was a pretty sweet relationship built between the two, but I decided to make it stronger.**

**I OWN NOTHING!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 12: Bonding with Yoshi**

After discovering that both the Kraang and The Foot were behind everything, all the pieces of the puzzle were finally coming into place; April's kidnapping hadn't been because she had the scepter, but because the Kraang had been after her since the 'mutagen' issue, and Walker's mission was most likely to find her as well as the scepter, but they had yet to figure out why that is that the Kraang were truly after her.

And as for how The Foot knew April was going to Japan in the first place…

The turtles went to Robyn to find out if there was anyone suspicious back at the airport before they left, and she only mentioned that she had bumped into someone by the name of Mr. Saki…

Wait…_Saki?!_

All eyes flew wide open and jaws dropped to the floor.

"You came face to face with The _Shredder?!" _April squawked, grabbing her Aunt by the shoulders, "And he _didn't _kill you?!"

Robyn looked down at her frightened niece, and then at the unbelieving gazes of the mutants and Casey as they all stared at her. "Well, I've never actually _seen _the man before, so how on earth was I supposed to know it was him?" she argued, crossing her arms, "and on top of that, I wasn't aware of his real name to begin with."

To her surprise, instead of saying anything further, April only wrapped her arms around her and held her so tight she thought she would burst. April sniffed in her aunt's chest. "I'm just glad you're alright…he could have really hurt you…"

Robyn's face softened as she hugged her niece back, on the edge of tears herself.

Standing above them, Splinter stroked his beard, "It is likely that Shredder did not harm Robyn simply to keep his true identity a secret. Remember, a ninja blends in with his surroundings; bringing any harm to your aunt would have exposed his identity. It appears that Robyn was very lucky indeed."

April and Robyn looked up at the ninja master and nodded, relief flooding into their faces as they held each other tighter.

Next to Donnie, Mikey nudged him on his elbow to gain his attention. "Dude, how come _she _meets him and doesn't get beat to a pulp?" he whispered with a little pout.

Donnie rolled his eyes skyward. "Well, it helps that she's not, y'know, _a giant mutated turtle_, Mikey," Donnie remarked sarcastically, folding his arms as he gave Mikey a flat look.

Mikey only shrugged, turning back to April and her aunt with a bright smile. "Oh well…at least she's okay now, right?"

Donnie looked down at Mikey in surprise, and a soft smile found its way across his face as he watched them. "Yeah…you're right about that, Mikey."

* * *

The game was on for the turtles and their human friends to find the lost scepter before either Walker or Norinaga did. The seven of them, (including Splinter) devised a temporary plan; Leonardo, Casey Jones and Donatello would go back into the forests again to look through any of Walker's campsites in case they missed anything, and Kenshin, knowing the overall layout of the forests, would go with them to guide their path back to the village. He would send out a pigeon back to the village after every hour to reassure the others that they were okay.

In the meantime, Raphael, Michelangelo, April, her aunt, Splinter, Mikey and Leather Head stay in the village with Mitsu to help with whatever repairs were needed, and just in case Walkers' thugs decided to come back for another round.

However, the day proved to be very peaceful, not a single thug in sight as the villagers continued on with life as normal, with the addition of a few new visitors. Leather Head, Mikey and April were playing with the children, who were fascinated by these strange new spirits in their village, as well as by April's hair, which she found adorable.

Robyn was seen among the women her age, either helping with the repairs, rice fields, or just simply talking (in English, much to Robyn's relief) and as a gift, they had given her one of their kimono's for her to wear instead of her dirty sleepwear, which she was so grateful for.

Raphael, on the other hand, was sat outside leaning against one of the houses, his arms folded and a look on his face which was written with boredom, and slight irritation. He understood why he had to stay in the village, but what was the point if he had nothing to do?

He let out a long sigh. For being in a new country, there really wasn't much to look at besides endless fields and cattle and mountains in the distance,which was nice, but he could only take so much of standing still and doing nothing for so long. That was a Leo and Donnie thing, not a Raph thing.

To his right, he suddenly heard the screaming laughter of children as they ran past him, all waving wooden swords in the air as a little boy chased them, one that actually looked familiar…and to be honest, like a raging little lion.

Raph smirked, quickly moving over to the line of kids as he snatched up the fussy one in his arms. "Hey, whoa there, chill out little tiger!" he snickered as the child thrashed in his arms angrily, "what is this, a Ring around the Angry Rosy? You gotta control that temper, pal."

Raph's expression dropped comically as he held the child, who looked up at him in confusion after he had finally calmed down.

"…Did _I _say that?" Raph muttered out loud as he set the boy back on the ground, and he knelt down to his level, "anyways, what was that all about, kid?" he asked.

"We're practicing fighting the headman Norinaga," he piped up with a little grin.

Raph jerked his head back in surprise. "Fight Norinaga?!" he barked, "You?! With nothing but a little wooden stick as a weapon?!"

"_Hai! _So then we can get back our real village!" the boy proclaimed, raising his sword in the air, "He'll pay for trying to take our homes! I'm gonna hurt him for kidnapping all those people!"

Raph held up his hands to stop him before he could get any more ideas, "Whoa, whoa there, kid, slow down," he said, placing a firm hand on his shoulder, "I get that you're mad at the headman, like_, really_ mad, but fighting's for grown-ups, and you really shouldn't be fighting anyway unless you _have _to. I mean…you're like me kid, in that you and I like to fight just because we like it, am I right?"

The boy nodded, gripping his sword happily with both little hands.

Raph's lips tugged with a smile at that little gesture. That kind of reminded him of Leo when he first got his sword; the poor sucker wouldn't put the thing down. "Right. But the thing is, I can't just go out there and fight because I _want _to and just because I'm angry, because…that's kinda dumb. Trust me, I know from experience…"

The boy cocked his head to the side. "How?" he asked innocently.

Raph looked back at him and sighed. "Long story short," he said, "I got into a fight I wasn't supposed to, and, well…I ended up almost hurting my brothers…"

Raph looked off to the side as he remembered those horrible, painful moments in which he was forced to watch as his brothers were hanging above him, seconds away from a possible death…and he was just standing there watching it all happen before his very eyes, completely powerless to stop it. They had all escaped together, and he thanked god over and over again for that…

…but then came the nightmare that still haunted him to this day…

Raph quickly shook his head, throwing away those thoughts before they became too much, and he looked back to the boy. "Um, anyways, I left them to go off and fight because I was angry with my brother, and that's how everything went wrong. The thing is, anger is a dangerous ally; it clouds your judgment, so you gotta control it before _it_ controls _you. _You get me?"

The boy looked down at the wooden sword in his hands for a moment. Then he looked back up at the giant turtle and nodded, "Okay!"

Raph smiled. "There you go! And besides, you're still a kid. You should be out having fun…and flying those things," he said, pointing behind the boy as they saw several children running into a house and coming out again with large, brightly colored and beautiful kites. Raph saw his look of wonder, and gave him a knowing smile, "Come on, we can do it together!" he offered.

"Fun is for children," the boy countered.

Raph smirked, "And what does that make you, a senior citizen? C'mon, it'll be easy." He then stood up, planting his hands on his hips. "What was your name again, kid?"

"Yoshi!" he piped up.

"Okay Yoshi, I'm Raphael, but you can call me Raph. You and your buddies go grab one of those kites, and I'll join ya. What do you say?"

A smile crept across Yoshi's lips as he finally smiled. "Okay!" he laughed, suddenly taking Raphael by the hand as he tugged him towards the kite stalls.

Raph let out a yelp of surprise as he was dragged like a doll, and a smile tugged at his lips. "Kids," he chuckled with a roll of his eyes.

Yoshi picked out a large red kite with the pattern of a dragon, and he led Raphael to where the other children were flying their kites, and together, Raphael and Yoshi released theirs into the air, smiling as it flew higher and higher into the sky. Yoshi handed the string over to Raph, and Raph's smile could not be matched as he maneuvered the kite up and down per Yoshi's instructions.

"Hey, I think I'm getting it!" Raph laughed. Villagers who were passing by smiled and watched as the mutant and the child played together.

Before long, Raph and Yoshi were running across the field with the kite, with Yoshi on Raph's shoulders as the child held the strings above their heads and whooped with laughter. Raph beamed up at him, "Hey, how about you and me go exploring in the forests, huh?" he suggested.

Yoshi looked down at him. "Won't we get in trouble?" he asked.

Raph shook his head, "Nah, we won't! You're with me, so if anyone tries to get you, they're gonna get a black eye instead!"

Yoshi giggled and nodded his head, and in one swift movement, Raph lifted him off his shoulders and took his tiny hand in his own large green ones and ran into the forest with him.

They played for what seemed like hours, exploring the forests and playing a game of 'Ninja Hide and Seek', which Raph won almost every time, but he let Yoshi have two freebies since he was only a child.

Raph had never felt like this before, or at least not in a very long time, when he was about Yoshi's age. He and his brothers would do the exact same things when they were younger; exploring the tunnels, playing tag and video games and watching movies together. They still did those things now, but as a child, their imagination was wilder and freer.

Yoshi had given that sense of peace and freedom back to him. He felt like a child again.

* * *

It was as the afternoon sun was at its highest peak that things took a different turn however.

Raph and Yoshi had decided to play one last game of hide and seek before they went back to the village, and it was Yoshi's turn to hide. Raph counted to ten, and after he shouted, "Ready or not, here I come!" he smirked as he went in search for the little boy, who he knew wouldn't be too hard to find after several games…

Or so he thought.

Five minutes passed, and Raph hadn't found Yoshi. Raph was surprised; he hadn't hid this long before. Maybe he was getting better at this.

Then ten minutes passed.

Then fifteen.

Raph began to grow anxious. "Okay, Yoshi!" he called, "you've got me! I can't find you! You win, so you can come on out now, kiddo!"

Silence.

"…Yoshi?"

Raph's eyes widened fearfully. How could he have been so stupid?! There were campsites filled with Walker's goons posted everywhere, hidden in the forest.

What if Yoshi had been spotted and caught? They wouldn't hesitate in either bringing him to those prisons back at Norinaga's castle…or they could have killed him…

"YOSHI! Where are you, little buddy?! YOSHI!" he cried as he ran through the trees bushes in search for his young friend, who he knew had no chance defending himself against Walker's men or Norinaga's. And what would his sister say if she found out that he –

Raph let out a heavy sigh of relief when he finally found Yoshi standing in a forest clearing with his back facing him. However, that relief, as usual, turned into slight anger as he approached him from behind. "What the heck man?!" he cried, "Why didn't you come out when I told you to? You had me worried sick Yosh –"

Raph stopped abruptly as he finally saw what Yoshi was staring at. There were two round stones sat in the center of the clearing, both surrounded by flowers and little stick candles that had been lit more than once before.

It was only when Raph read the names engraved in Japanese on their smooth surfaces that he realized they were graves.

Raph's face softened as he looked down at Yoshi, who stared down at the graves silently. Had he been standing here the whole time?

"…who are they?" Raph asked softly.

He didn't reply at first, but after a moment, Yoshi whispered "…my momma and papa."

Raph's eyes widened. Now it made sense why there were no parents around when Mikey saved him from the fire…

"…I see," he said, folding his arms over his chest, "…how did they die?"

Yoshi's lower lip trembled as he fought back tears. "…an attack. When Walker's people came the first time…"

Raph's breath hitched slightly. Walker did this? Norinaga allowed that filthy lowlife to do this to an innocent child and his sister?

Raph's fists clenched and his teeth gritted together. How dare he? How _dare_ he take the lives and happiness away from this child's family?! Raph swore that he would make that filthy scum pay for what he did. He would make sure that he and Walker would burn in the pits of…

A little sniff caught his attention, and he snapped out of his angry haze as he looked down to find Yoshi scrubbing his hand across his tear stained face.

Raph's face softened again, his fists unclenching and his eyes now full of sympathy that being himself, he just couldn't truly voice. He knew exactly what he was feeling. He had recently lost someone he loved too…

Without a word, he bent down and put a hand on his shoulder, waiting for him to look up at him before he spoke. "Listen Yoshi," he said firmly but softly, "I get it now. You wanna face Norinaga because he took your parents. You can't take him, but I can. So I promise you, I'll go after him for you, make sure he regrets what he did to your folks. Okay?"

Yoshi sniffed again, and nodded. Raph smiled kindly as he put out his hand. "Here. We'll shake on it. We have a deal?"

Yoshi looked up into Raph's emerald eyes, and without warning, he rushed into the turtle's chest and wrapped his arms tightly around his neck. "_Hai, _Raphael-san," he whispered.

Raph stiffened as his eyes flew wide open, but eventually he forced his body to relax, and he hugged the trembling little boy back with strong, unyielding arms.

He slid his eyes over to the two gravestones.

_'__I promise you, too.' _


	13. Chapter 13: Friends New and Old

**A/N: Hello! Sorry again for the long ass wait! I had other things going on and my brother won't let me use his laptop! GRRR!**

**I hope you enjoy this one! Not as sad as the last one!**

**ENJOY!**

* * *

**Chapter 13: Friends New and Old**

At the top of the highest hill in the village, Mitsu stood there at the very edge, watching over the village from her perch on high. She looked down to the fields to find that her younger brother Yoshi, and the red clad turtle Raphael, were both playing together, a kite flying high above their heads as they ran with it, with Yoshi on Raphael's shoulders.

She grinned at the sight despite herself. She had deemed Raphael the coldest and hardest of his strange brothers after their unpleasant encounter near the river, but now as she watched him play with her little brother, all she had left of her family besides her grandfather, she knew that she had greatly misjudged him; perhaps even the hardest of people could soften at times…

She was pulled from her thoughts when the flapping of wings caught her attention, and she looked up to see yet another pigeon flying down to her. She brought up her hand and let the bird rest on her finger, before carefully setting it back in the cage with the other three.

Four birds, four hours. It had been four hours now since Kenshin had left with the two turtles and their strange masked companion.

She wondered if they were alright…the turtles were very skilled fighters, that much she knew, but Kenshin was still learning the arts of swordsmanship. The last thing Mitsu wanted was for Kenshin to be captured yet again…

"Hi there!"

Mitsu spun around, her hand instinctively reaching for her bow and arrows on her back, but stopped when she realized that it was the youngest turtle, Michelangelo, with his hands raised as if in surrender. "Hey, take it easy!" he cried.

Mitsu lowered her arms and stood up straight. "My apologies, Michelangelo," she said with a short bow, "It is just my instincts – "

Mikey held up a hand to stop her. "No problem dudette!" he laughed as he moved to stand next to her at the edge of the hill, "it happens. We kinda do the same thing, 'cus we're ninjas, y'know? Last time, Leo almost cut me in half with his katana when all I wanted to ask is if I could change the channel on the TV!" he giggled at the memory, planting his hands on his hips as he sighed. "Ah, good times!"

Mitsu raised a brow at the younger turtle. "…you find joy in almost dying?" she asked bemused.

Mikey's smile dropped as he blinked at her once, his mouth forming a slight 'o' shape, before barking out a laugh, "Nah, girl! We do that stuff all the time, but we never actually hurt each other on purpose!" he said.

His smile then faded. "Well…at least we never _used _to…" he said, pressing his fingers together nervously at the memory of what Raph had done to Leo. He knew it hadn't been on purpose, but still…

Mitsu stared down at Mikey. It was strange how this little one could be so expressive; one minute he was bouncing and laughing, the next he was…this. It seemed almost unnatural for that frown to be there, and she didn't like it.

And without warning, he suddenly wiped that look off his face and grinned back up at Mitsu, "But that's what brothers do!" he finished, folding his arms over his chest.

Mitsu allowed herself to give him a faint smile. "Yes, indeed. I see that you and your brothers are very close, yes?" she probed.

Mikey nodded happily, "Yep! Closer than sardines in a…uh…can!" he stumbled, and then he looked out onto the field, just as Raph and Yoshi sneaked into the forest. He looked back up to Mitsu, "um…you and that Kenshin dude are pretty close too, huh?" he asked hesitantly.

Mitsu nodded once, her once faint smile now slightly bigger. "Yes," she said, looking back out onto the sun that sat high above their heads that afternoon, "he and I…we are very close…we met when we were children years and years ago. We had formed a very strong bond, despite our differences…"

Mikey rocked back and forth on his heels, lacing his hands behind his shell as he smiled. "You…you're in love with him, aren't you?" he asked innocently.

Mitsu glanced at the young turtle's innocent eyes, and then down at her hands folded in front of her. "Yes, I am," she admitted at last, "but he is the son of my enemy, and a noble. He and I should not be together…" she sighed, looking back to the field.

Mikey's expression dropped again as he fought the urge to roll his eyes and sigh.

So, it's _that _kind of ballgame is it?

Not on his watch! Well, If he _had _a watch.

With a quiet sigh, Mikey placed his hands on Mitsu's shoulders, much to her surprise, and eased her down onto the rock beside them to sit down, and he looked straight into her eyes with serious ones of is own.

"Listen girl," he said to her, "I don't know a lot about nobles or rules like that or whatever, but if you love somebody, you just gotta go and take the chance and tell them! After all, rules didn't stop you guys from making a rebellion thing, right?"

Mitsu started at that. That was a good point…

"And that didn't stop my older brothers from trying either! We're mutants, and Leo's got a_ human _girlfriend, and Donnie's got a mondo crush on April…"

He trailed off a little as a blush came over his cheeks and he looked down, "…and believe me, I know how you feel, sister. I kinda like somebody too, but I can't tell her. Not yet…but anyways, if you love Kenshin, then forget about rules, dudette! Just go on out there and tell the dude already! My sensei always says…"

He lifted up a finger, and in his best impression of Splinter, he said, "A ninja must not only rely on the body and mind, but also of the heart!" then he dropped that act and grinned at her. "You see now?"

Mitsu stared at Mikey with silent bewilderment. For a moment, he sounded just like her grandfather when he was giving her and Yoshi a lecture.

She blinked once at him before she regained herself. "…you are much wiser than others think you are, Michelangelo," she breathed.

Mikey sat back and examined his fingertips with a grin. "Yeah, I get that a lot," he smirked, then turned back to her and held her smaller hands in his own. "So how about you stop actin' all serious and stuff and come down the hill and play with us! Leather Head's giving the kids down there a great time!" he laughed, pulling Mitsu up to her feet.

Despite the slowly growing smile on her lips, Mitsu shook her head. "I cannot. I must stay to watch for the pigeons that Kenshin sends out," she argued.

Mikey looked at the cage of pigeons, and then back to her as he waved it off. "Pfft! No worries, I bet Raph will take care of that! He's good with animals! And besides, if Kenshin comes back and sees you playing with kids, he'll think you're a great fun person! _C'mon_!" he pleaded, tugging on her arms.

Mitsu looked back at the field. There was still no sign of Kenshin or the two turtles and the masked boy, and they had already been gone for so long…

Maybe Michelangelo was right.

Maybe, just this once, she could take a break…

She turned back to the youngest turtle, and finally allowed herself to smile. "Very well," she relented, "but in return, you must tell me everything about the one who you desire as well, Michelangelo."

Mikey's blush returned. "Aw man!" he cried, but he continued to lead her down the hill by her hand, meeting up with Leather Head and April as they waved at them both from the group of bouncing children they were surrounded by.

"And by the way…" he said, "you can call me Mikey!"

Mitsu let out a chuckle. "Very well…Mikey," she said, the name sounding strange on her tongue as she said it, but it was something she could get used to.

She tightened her grip around Mikey's large green hand. It was true that she had greatly misunderstood Raphael…but it was obvious now that she had misunderstood all of these strange turtles, especially Mikey, who proved to be wiser beyond his years when it really mattered.

These were without a doubt, the most remarkable creatures…no, the most remarkable _people _she and her village had ever come to know.

* * *

The wind blew softly through the trees that late afternoon, and the sun was beating down upon the village. During all the activities Michelangelo, Leather Head and April were conducting with the young human children, Master Splinter had been sat underneath a large tree in the shade, his legs crossed and his hands on his lap as he watched them run and play. A warm smile tugged at his lips at the sight. It was just as heartwarming to see the large reptile interacting with children so small and fragile, and yet they did not fear him.

None of the villagers feared any of them.

Once again, humanity had surprised the expectations of the old ninja master.

His eyes drifted from his youngest son to Raphael, who was leaning against one of the houses with his arms crossed over his chest and a frown on his face. It was obvious that he was bored, and Splinter couldn't blame him; he needed something to keep his heart and blood pumping with excitement, and that usually meant beating something or someone up.

And unfortunately for him, there was nothing that could satisfy that urge.

Splinter was about to stand up and see what he could do for his second oldest, when suddenly he had reached down and grabbed a young fussing boy, telling him that he needed to control his temper.

Splinter fought the urge to laugh at the look on his son's face as he realized the irony of his statement. He put the child down and the two began to talk to each other. Even from where he sat at a distance, Splinter could hear the entire conversation with his rat hearing. But what stood out to him the most, causing his eyes to widen slightly, was what Raphael said next.

"…anger is a dangerous ally; it clouds your judgment, so you gotta control it before _it_ controls _you_. You get me?"

Splinter smiled. It seemed as though his teachings were finally getting through to him.

His smile only grew as he watched the young boy, Yoshi he remembered his name was, take Raph by his large green hand and lead him to where the other children were flying kites, and before long, he and the child were flying their own kite high up into the air, with Yoshi guiding Raph step by step. The two of them then decided to go out onto the fields and run with their kite, with Raphael hoisting Yoshi up onto his shoulders as they ran, laughing all the while.

Splinter had not seen his second eldest son so happy for so long now, and it was a blessed thing that this child had been able to give that joy back to him.

He looked over to where Michelangelo was playing, and chuckled as he saw that he, Leather Head and April were watching Raphael as well, all of them smiling warmly. Mikey turned to April, and after quickly muttering something to her, he ran up the steep hill where the young woman, Mitsu, was standing watch. No doubt that his youngest wanted her to join in the fun as well.

"An amazing sight, is it not?"

Splinter started slightly, and he turned to his right to find the elderly man, Mitsu's grandfather, standing next to where he sat, stroking his long beard as he smiled at his grandson riding the red clad turtle's back through the fields. He looked to Splinter and smiled. "You would not mind if I joined you, Rat-san?" he asked pleasantly.

Splinter chuckled, moving to the side to make room for the old man. "Not at all, please join me," he replied, and the old man nodded, sitting cross-legged on the grass in the shade next to the giant rat, placing his staff on the ground next to him.

"This is very nice, is it not Rat-san?" he asked, "watching humanity bonding with the likes of which has not been seen for thousands of years?"

"Please, call me Splinter, sir," Splinter smiled, "and yes, it is a very strange sight to see, but it is uplifting; proof that humanity can see the good in others despite their differences. Also, it is good to be back in the land of my origin. Well, not exactly; I was born in Tokyo."

"Ah, I see," the old man observed with a smile and a stroke of his long white beard, "I have seen Tokyo; it is far too crowded and busy for my liking. And you may call me Okina, Splinter-san."

Splinter nodded, "Very well, Okina-san. It is a pleasure to meet you. You are the grandfather of the young child that Michelangelo had rescued, yes?"

Okina nodded, looking towards the orange clad turtle being swarmed by the children. "Yes. I am forever grateful to that young one; I owe him my life for saving my little Yoshi. By the way, tell me about the four turtles that surround you, Splinter-san…you all seem very close, yes?" he asked curiously.

Splinter nodded with a chuckle. "Yes Okina-san, we are all indeed very close. They are my four sons; Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo. They are my four young ninjas in training."

Okina seemed baffled. "A rat," he mused, "the father of four young turtles? Who are also highly trained ninja warriors? That seems rather odd; don't you think Splinter-san?"

"Indeed it is, I must admit," Splinter chortled, "However, we are not bonded by blood, but rather by love. I had taken them under my wing after our…transformation long ago, and raised them as my own."

"Hmm…by 'transformation', you mean your mutation, correct?"

Splinter shot a surprised glance down at the old man, who only continued to smile up at him. "You cannot fool me, Splinter-san; I may be old, but I know a spirit when I see one! And none of you have that spiritual aura that most spirits have!" he chuckled, tapping his head with his finger. "But do not worry; I will keep your secret. It gives the people hope, you see."

Splinter smiled. "Thank you Okina-san, though it was not my wish to fool you. It was just my sons enjoying the attention," he chuckled.

Okina let out a laugh also. "Indeed, I know. We were both young once too, you know!"

The two adults shared a laugh, before looking back over the village in content silence, watching as the children played and the sun shone high above them, the birds singing and the wind softly blowing, only adding to the serenity of the moment.

"…how did you come to leave this land, if you do not mind me asking Splinter-san?" Okina asked.

Splinter closed his eyes, his hands tensing ever so slightly in his lap as the memory burned through him.

"…I was once a human, as you have discovered, married to the love of my life, Tang Shen. Together, we had a child, a baby girl that we had called Miwa. We lived happily together for a time…until a man that I had once known as a friend came…and in the space of a single night, I had lost everything I held dear. My wife and daughter are gone, as well as my home, and the name I had once carried…so I fled from Japan in search for a new life and a new name. And, well…I presume you know the rest," Splinter smiled.

Okina chuckled. "Of course; you got more than you bargained for, Yoshi-san."

Splinter's eyes widened as he stared down at the old man in shock. "How…how did you…?" he stuttered, "How did you know my real name?"

Okina laughed. For such a serious situation, he was sure making very light of it, wasn't he? "Can't you remember, Yoshi-san? After all, we were old friends you and I…"

Okina's expression then turned serious. "I…am your father."

Splinter's jaw fell and his eyes grew wide as he stared at the old man.

Okina laughed again, harder this time. "I joke! I am joking! I simply guessed!" he said, "You looked like a Yoshi to me that is all!"

Splinter let out a breath and put a hand over his rapidly beating heart. "_Ai yah_! Please, do not do that to me!" he gasped, "and I thought my sons would be the death of me…"

Okina placed a hand on the old rat's shoulder, patting it reassuringly. "My apologies, Yoshi-san, I was just messing…though I must say that your tale is a truly tragic one indeed. However, do not let the past burn you, stop you from living in the spare, rare moments of peace and love that you have in the present. Even though the past will sometimes haunt you, and the wounds will open over and over again, you must not let it consume you, Yoshi-san."

"I understand that coming back to this land, and almost reliving the same thing again when your youngest son charged into the flames to save my own little Yoshi is hard, overwhelming, but remember, things are not as they once were. You have lived with them, raised them, trained them to the best of your abilities to keep them alive, stop that from ever happening again…and they are all happy. And so you must be too, Yoshi-san, for they have changed you as well. And in order to finally find peace with yourself, even for a short time, you must lean on them, more than they now lean on you…"

Splinter pondered over the old man's words, and he looked back at where Michelangelo was, now joined by Mitsu as they all played with the children. Okina-san was right; his new family was happy to be in this land with him, and with all these people. He cannot simply sit back and continue to regret his past mistakes any longer…

Splinter turned back to the old man and smiled. "Yes. Thank you, Okina-san, for your kind words of wisdom" he said with a short bow.

Okina smiled back with a bow of his own. "That is what I do. And after all, wise old men must stick together, no?"

Splinter chuckled again as he rose to his feet, stretching out a hand to help the older human up as well. "Indeed, that is the truth. But I am not _that _old; I am only in my early fifties."

"Ah, but that beard of yours tells me otherwise, Yoshi-san!" Okina mocked.

Splinter grinned as he stroked his beard. "…it adds to the 'wise master' look," he joked.

Okina shook his head as both old friends laughed together, walking out of the shade underneath the tree as they made their way towards the mutants surrounded by children begging for another ride; Leather Head was beginning to look exhausted by this point, poor fellow.

April caught sight of her sensei and smiled. "Master Splinter, I thought you were meditating," she said. Three children noticed the giant rat, and immediately rushed over to him and began to jump up and down with their arms raised, begging to be picked up.

Splinter smiled down at them, picking one child up and setting him on his shoulders, much to the little ones' delight. "I was, April," Splinter answered with a smile, "but now I think it is time to spend a little more time with my family."

* * *

**A/N: There you have it, folks! two quirky old men make friends! I wonder what Leo, Casey, Don and Kenshin are up to?**


	14. Chapter 14: At the Bottom of the Lake

**A/N: I know I'm always really late with chapters, but I am determined to get this baby finished, don't worry!**

**To the guest who asked if the whole 'I am your father' thing was an homage to May 4th, yeah, it totally was!**

**I OWN NOTHING!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 14: At the Bottom of the Lake**

The sun began to set as the end of another long day was coming to an end over the grassy lands of Kyoto Japan. And for the four young travelers, the absence of the blistering heat was a blessing and a curse as they trekked through the thick forests, still sweating slightly after now five hours of relentless searching for any campsites that either had the scepter, or had any information on where it could be.

So far, they had been very unlucky, and very _very_ hot.

If they ever made it back to New York, they vowed never to complain about inconsistent weather patterns ever again.

"Ugh…we've been out here for hours," Leonardo puffed tiredly, adjusting the strap of his backpack on his shell, "and still no sign of the power cell or the scepter…this whole search is a complete disaster!" he huffed, throwing his hands into the air in exasperation.

Next to him, Casey Jones, Donatello and Kenshin huffed in exhausted agreement. "I'll say!" Casey cursed, "But then again, what the hell do you expect dude?! We're in the middle of nowhere, and that stupid scepter and that Kraang power cell thingy could be freaking anywhere! And worse, it's so _hot_!"

Donatello rolled his eyes heavenward with a sigh, dropping his bag onto the grass, spinning on his heel and facing the masked vigilante with a scowl. "Stop complaining already! And if it's so hot, then why are you wearing all of that?!" he barked, gesturing Casey's attire with an angry wave of his hand.

"I _have_ to wear this stuff! Just like you and Leo have to wear your staff and swords and junk!" Casey argued, unslinging his own bag and pushing Donnie backwards with a hard shove in the plastron, "and _excuse _me if I can't run round the world with nothing but a belt on! Humans have to wear clothes!

Donnie grunted at the shove, and then sent Casey a snarl. "Maybe so, but you don't _have_ to wear that plastic hockey mask though, so take that off! And why aren't you wearing that metal one that April spent so much money on getting you?!"

"I kinda do have to wear the mask, 'cause it hides my face; y'know, secret identity! And the metal one's only for special occasions, thank you very much! I already told her that before we left, and she was cool with it! And _stop yelling at me_!"

"Then stop being such a Puck-Headed whiner and _suck it up_! And I'M NOT YELLING!"

"YES YOU _ARE_!"

"NO I'M _NOT_! IT'S JUST THE FRUSTRATION AND HEAT EXPOSURE TALKING!"

Leo and Kenshin shared a look, and then both sighed in vexation. "Should we stop them?" Kenshin asked.

Leo rubbed a weary hand over his eyes. "No. I don't even have the will anymore," he sighed, "just let them burn themselves out."

In truth, Donatello and Casey were actually good friends, despite their rivalry with the affection and attention of April O'Neil. Even though they didn't hang out or have as much in common with one another than Casey and Raph did, they had been on good terms with one another, especially back all those months ago when they had fled to Aunt Robyn's barn. Casey had been the one to bring Donnie out of his shell…

Maybe it really was the heat and stress from the long day talking, and maybe the only way to cool themselves off enough was to –

"OH YEAH?! WELL WHY DON'T WE SETTLE THIS ONCE AND FOR ALL?! MAN V.S TURTLE?!"

"SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!"

Then the both of them drew their stick weapons, ready to duke it out pointlessly. Leo only rolled his eyes. Maybe now would be a good time to stop them, before anyone got really hurt…

And by the looks of it, Casey was the one who was going to be crying in pain with Donnie up at bat.

Casey and Donnie pushed, prodded and slapped each other with their weapons, but unbeknownst to the both of them, they were slowly moving their way to the edge of a very steep slope that was hidden by thick bushes.

"You think you got what it takes, Gap Tooth?!" Casey taunted, smacking Donnie with his hockey stick.

"Gap Tooth?! Look in the mirror lately, Cave Mouth?!" Donnie growled, prodding Casey hard in the chest with the end of his Bo staff.

However, as Casey grabbed the stick to bring Donnie closer enough to punch, his footing slipped on the slope behind the bushes, and with a loud scream, he dragged Donnie down with him as they both slipped and tumbled down the hill, screaming all the while until they hit the bottom, landing on top of one another and groaning in pain as they lay next to a small but deep pool of water.

"Donnie, Casey!" Leo cried, grabbing their bags as he pushed past the bushes and slid expertly down the slippery grass slope, closely followed by an amused Kenshin as they approached the semi-conscious duo. Leo bent down and shook Donnie's shoulder gently, "Donnie, wake up. Are you okay?"

Donnie groaned as he sat up, or as much as he could with Casey on his shell, and he looked up at his older brother. "Yeah…yeah, I'll be fine," he sighed, and then turned back to Casey, who still lay on top of him. "You okay?"

Casey only raised his hand and gave them all a tired 'thumbs up', before grunting with effort as he climbed off of Donnie, helping the purple clad turtle to his feet as well as he dusted himself off. "Yeah, I'm good. Wild ride though, huh?" he smirked as he lifted up his mask from off his face, holding out his gloved hand towards Donnie.

Donnie smiled at the gesture; it was Casey's way of saying sorry. "Yeah, it was," he replied, slapping Casey's outstretched hand, accepting the boy's silent apology for now. "I didn't even see it."

"That's because you two weren't looking," Leo deadpanned, rolling his eyes as he looked down at the water, which seemed very clean despite not being flowing water. It practically glowed in the dying sunlight…

…in fact, it seemed to glow _purple_…

Leo narrowed his eyes in confusion as he took a step closer to the water, kneeling down in front of it. "Hold on a second…Donnie, did Leather Head say anything about having the power cell stolen from him?" he asked.

Donnie, Kenshin and Casey moved to stand next to Leo. "Hmmm…I don't think he did. Why do you ask?" Donnie mused, following Leo's gaze as he looked into the pond, which oddly enough was giving off an eerie purple glow.

Leo put a finger to his chin in thought. "Then he must have hidden it before he got caught by Walker's goons. So, if an alligator wanted to hide something, where would he put it?"

"Ooh, I'm thinking under water," Donnie mused eagerly as he held up a finger, "alligators love to drag their prey to the bottom of swamps and – **_WAAGH!"_**

Donnie was interrupted as Casey shoved him hard into the water with a splash. Kenshin began to laugh at the unfortunate turtle, and Leo turned to Casey with a grin, "Thanks!" he said.

Casey shrugged with a grin. "Don't mention it!"

Donnie burst through the surface seconds later, but instead of being mad, he looked quite surprised. "Hey, Leo, you were right! There's something glowing down here at the very bottom! I think it might be the power cell!"

Leo stood up and planted his hands on his hips. "Well," he declared, "sounds like we should – **_AAH!"_**

Kenshin pushed Leo right into the water before he could finish, grinning like a fool. "Indeed you should!" he snickered as Leo resurfaced and glared up at him, "Mr. Jones and I will stay up here and wait for you!"

"Yeah! You're turtles after all; you can swim better than us!" Casey laughed, taking off his hockey mask and setting it down on the grass as he sat cross-legged next to Kenshin, "and besides, your skin's waterproof, right?"

Leo and Donnie scowled at them both. "Maybe, but my katanas are _not_," he seethed, "it'll take hours to dry them _and _the scabbards!"

"Please Leonardo-san, we don't have much time left until dark," Kenshin warned, his good humor now gone as he stared up at the skies. The sun was already gone, and the stars were starting to appear. If they were out any longer, they would run into Walker's goons…

Leo and Donnie nodded in understanding, and after unsheathing their weapons and placing them on the shore and taking a deep breath, the two terrapins dove back under the watery depths, leaving Casey Jones and Kenshin to watch out for any trouble.

In the meantime however, Casey began to glance at the area that surrounded them; it was actually kind of beautiful in the dark. There were fireflies dancing over the surface of the water and near the flourishing forest plants, making them glow like lamps in the darkness. He couldn't help but smile.

"…I always knew Japan was beautiful and stuff," he breathed, "but I never thought it would be _this _amazing."

Next to him, Kenshin smiled at the younger boy. "Yes, I love my homeland," he said, then his expression fell slightly, "and to think, my father is willing to destroy all of this…simply to gain power and riches that will not even amount to anything in the bitter end…"

Casey turned to Kenshin, who was now staring at the water's still surface with a scowl on his face. He then put a hand on his shoulder. "…I'm sorry to hear that dude," he said, "but c'mon, he couldn't have _always _been like this, right?"

Looking down in consideration, Kenshin shook his head. "No, I suppose not…well, that was until my mother passed away. After that, he never seemed the same again…" he turned away from Casey. "He began to treat me as if I was not worthy enough of his affection…and this mess happened."

Casey looked down, biting his lip and unsure of what to say. He knew that he couldn't relate at all to Kenshin; his father was the complete opposite of his, always on his case, making sure he got enough good grades, taking care of him and his little sister both at the same time with what little money they had left…

_Wow, _Casey thought in realization with wide eyes, _I never really appreciated dad enough, did I? _

All Casey ever seemed to do was complain about how his father never left him alone, especially after his first brawl with Raphael when he had come home with scratches and bruises. But that was only because he cared about Casey...in fact, when Casey really thought about it, he and his little sister were all his dad had left. Just like the turtles were all that Splinter had left…

_I guess I'm lucky I don't have someone like Kenshin's dad, _Casey mused, _ Heck, if I had to ever be separated from my dad, I'd choose to stay with Splinter and the guys than someone like - _

Wait a second.

Speaking of the guys…why hadn't they come up yet?

His wide eyes turned to Kenshin, who must have been thinking the same thing as they both stared at the water in fear. Casey knew that they could hold their breath for long periods of time underwater, he knew from experience after a certain contest against Raphael that had him turning blue, but even so, it had been a long time since they had gone under…

What if something else was down there as well?

Suddenly, Leo and Donnie burst through the surface, coughing and gasping for breath as they looked up to Casey and Kenshin, who let out a relived sigh. "Oh good, you're okay!" Casey breathed, "we were starting to worry dudes!"

Leo smiled briefly. "Thanks Casey, but we need your help. We found the power cell at the very bottom, but we need your help to get it out of the reeds. Leather Head tied it down pretty good."

Casey's shoulders slumped. "Aw man," he sighed as he got to his feet, taking off his weapons and rolling up his sleeves and then taking off his shoes and socks. "Well, Casey Jones never backs down!" he said, and after pinching his nose, he leapt into the air.

"**_GOONGALAAAA!" _**he hollered, and he plunged into the water with a massive splash…right on top of Donnie and Leo.

After flashing the boy a glare, the two of them helped Casey to swim down to the very bottom of the river, where the boy spotted what the two turtles had spent so much time trying to get loose; a small but very bright diamond shaped crystal inside a solid glass container.

Yep, that was definitely the Kraang-y thing that Leather Head was talking about.

And it seemed as though Leather Head had been intent on keeping it down here; it was tied tightly in the reeds that grew down there, but luckily for them, Donnie and Leo seemed to have been able to loosen it slightly, so hopefully they wouldn't need to be down there for much longer.

Casey was already struggling to hold his breath down there.

After sharing a brief look with each other, the three teenagers waded down closer to the power cell, and as Leo used his tanto knife from his wrist wraps to cut at the reeds, Casey and Donnie both pulled at the cell, and kept pulling with all their might as they felt their heads becoming lighter and the urge to take a breath becoming stronger.

Donnie and Casey shared a brief no, and used the last of their strength to give one final tug at the cell, gritting their teeth with effort as they struggled to now hold their breath and pull all at once…

Finally, with their combined efforts, the cell came free, and the three didn't waste time in scrambling up to and bursting through the surface as they coughed and spluttered. Kenshin hurried to their aid, helping them climb out of the water as they all lay on their backs, soaking wet and panting for breath.

"Are you alright? Did you get it out?" Kenshin asked in concern.

Donnie looked up at him from where he lay, and with a tired smile, he raised the power cell above his head. "Yeah…got it," he breathed.

After several minutes of recovering passed, they all sat around the glowing Kraang power cell, peering down at it curiously as Donnie reached for his bag, which oddly enough, had a portable battery inside it. Casey quirked a confused brow as he stared at him. "Um…why did you carry that thing with you?" he asked.

Donnie shrugged as he took out he wires and prepared to plug them into the power cell, "What? It's important to come prepared," he answered. His brows creased and his eyes narrowed in concentration as he neared the power cell with caution. "Wow…this thing's putting out some power," he said as he hooked the cell to his device.

Instantly, Donnie was lit up like a Christmas tree, and was then sent flying back into water with a scream.

Casey, Kenshin and Leo looked over to the lake with wide eyes, and Donnie emerged from the waters with a very flat look.

"…why am _I _the only one who get to touch the weird Kraang stuff?!" he screeched.

Casey couldn't hold back the smirk even as he covered his mouth. Leo simply smiled.

* * *

"Any idea what Walker and Norinaga would use it for if they found it?" Leo asked as the four of them finally retraced their steps through the forest as they made their way back to the village.

Donnie had put the power cell in his bag for safe keeping as they walked, and at Leo's question, he shrugged. "Well with the amount of energy this thing has, they could use it to power almost anything," he guessed, "like a flashlight, blaster cannon…city on the moon perhaps…"

Donnie then hummed in thought, putting a finger to his chin. "…actually, there's something I needed to ask Leather Head earlier about this and the Kraang when we get back."

"So…is _this _the mineral that they were after?" Casey asked.

Kenshin shook his head. "No, the mineral has been buried deep within the earth for centuries…and only the scepter can tell us where it is."

Leo turned to where the sun used to be, but only finding it replaced by dark skies and stars. They had been gone for longer than they should have. "We'd better get going now guys," he said, "before the others come out looking for us…or before Walker's creeps show up."

With nods of understanding, the group set off at a steady running speed through the forest as he they headed towards the village at long last.


	15. Chapter 15: Trigger

**A/N: Howdy! Here is the next chapter! I hope you all like this!**

**I OWN NOTHING!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 15: Trigger**

"_Oi! Did you see that?!"_

_"__SHH! Keep your bloody voice down mate! See what?"_

_"__Jus' saw them turtle demon things! They was swimming in that lake over there! They took out this giant glowing thing from the bottom!"_

_"…__what, really?"_

_"__Yeah mate! You think that's the mineral thing they want us to get?"_

_"__Might be!_

_"__But wait, I thought they needed the staff thingy to find it?"_

_"__Well maybe _they _have it, you skull brained buffoon!"_

_"__Look, they're leaving! Let's follow them!"_

_"__Oh, look! They even have the Kenshin kid with them! We're gonna get paid big time for this one boys! Demons, plus the mineral and the Kenshin kid?! Oooh I can smell the money now!"_

_"__Ooooh, the boss' gonna like this…"_

* * *

"Hold up guys," Leonardo called silently, putting his arm out to stop the other three that followed him as he listened, "I've got the feeling that…we're not alone out here…"

Donatello, Casey Jones and Kenshin shared a look, and then began to scan the forest. "…I don't see r hear anything, Leo," Donnie whispered.

"Shh! Listen closely," he hissed.

The four of them strained their ears as they listened to the sounds of the forest. They remained completely still, their eyes scanning their surroundings steadily for anything or any_one_ that could possibly pose a threat.

A gun clicked.

Casey was instantly moving, quickly drawing out his hockey stick and discharge a puck from his belt. "Casey Jones shoots!" he cried, swinging his stick and sending the puck flying into the bushes. They all heard it connect to a target and bounce off to another with a crack, and the offenders came tumbling out of the bushes.

"He scores!" Casey cheered.

"Nice work Casey!" Leo praised, before turning back to the two goons groaning in pain on the grass and glaring down at them with angry dark azure eyes. "Care to explain, gentlemen?" he sneered.

The two thugs stared up at Leo in a mixture of pain from their attack and horror at his appearance as they stumbled backwards on their rear ends. They were totally going to be eaten alive now. Worse still, this was the same demon that had managed to frighten Walker, their leader.

"P-please, don't kill us!" one pleaded, "we'll leave you alone, we swear!"

Leo and Kenshin both scoffed down at the two helpless cowards.

They weren't even worth the effort of taking out.

"Fine, you can go," Leo growled, "but first, I want you tell Walker and Norinaga this…"

He suddenly grabbed one of them by the shirt and drew him close to his face, so he could see the snarl. "Tell them that the demon Leonardo said to stay away from this village, and our clan. Understood?" he barked.

The goon nodded vigorously.

"Good," Leo dropped him back on his rump and folded his arms. "Be gone."

Without hesitation, the two goons scrambled away from the blue clad turtle and back into the forest, screaming and wailing all the while.

Donnie turned to Leo and smirked. "You're enjoying being a 'demon' aren't you?"

Leo chuckled. "Yes, Donatello. Yes I am."

* * *

Michelangelo let out a contented sigh as he lay down against Leather Head's side, who was lying down on the floor of the hut they were all staying in with his large body curled around the youngest turtle. They had all just finished their evening meal together, and after Robyn had decided to stay in one of the extra huts with the other ladies, the family of mutants began to sit back and relax.

"Ahh, that was some good old sushi, huh Leather Head?!" Mikey beamed as he nuzzled against Leather Head, who let out a grumble of agreement in response.

Next to them however, a certain young red head wasn't as calm and relaxed as they were as she paced the floor back and forth, her hands twitching nervously as she glanced back at the sliding door periodically. From where he sat against the wall next to a snoozing Raphael, who was tired out completely after such an eventful day with little Yoshi, Splinter watched her pace back and forth with a look of concern and a raised furry brow.

She was clearly still worried about the others who had gone out hours ago in search for the power cell and the scepter. Truth be told, so was he, but he needed to remain calm. They would return eventually. They all just needed to be calm and patient.

April let out a long quiet sigh as she stared at the door. Where were they? They should have been back hours ago.

What if something bad happened to them on their way back? What if they had gotten lost in the woods? What if - ?

"April."

April let out a startled gasp as she spun around to face Master Splinter, who patted the space between him and a sleeping Raphael. "Come and sit with me, my child," he offered.

Sparing once last glance at the door, April nodded, and as she moved to sit next to the ninja rat master, she carefully took Raphael by his shoulders and laid his head on her lap. His only subconscious reaction was to wrap his arms around her middle. She shared a smirk with Splinter as Mikey beamed and snapped a photo with his T-phone, showing it to Leather Head as they both snickered.

April shook her head with a smile as she looked down at the napping Raph. He would never allow this kind of interaction with anyone if he was awake, but in sleep it appeared that their old childish habits took him over.

She couldn't wait to see the look on his face when he found out what he had done in his sleep. And when he found out that they had solid evidence of it on Mikey's T-Phone. She had already seen the video of him and Casey falling out of the tree…

Oh, all the blackmailing they could achieve!

As she laid a hand on his head, she turned back to Splinter, who regarded her fondly. "April, I know that you are worried for their safety, but simply worrying over it will not speed up the process," he said, a teasing tone in his voice.

April huffed out a laugh and shook her head. "I know Master Splinter," she sighed, "but…with everything that's happened already…can you really blame me?"

Splinter placed a hand on her shoulder. "No, I cannot, you are correct. However, I can tell you that there is nothing to fear. Leonardo, Casey and Donatello are capable of taking care of themselves; you know that as well as I do. And they have Kenshin to guide their path back home. Do not fret any longer, my child," he soothed.

Looking down at the sleeping turtle on her lap, April frowned in contemplation. Splinter was right. Donnie, Leo and Casey were strong enough. She had to remember that, and stop worrying and causing herself any more pointless distress…

She looked back up at Splinter and smiled. "You're right, Sensei," she said.

Splinter nodded. "I am!"

April smirked. "But I think I'll only relax fully when all of this is over and we can finally go back home…I never thought I'd miss New York so much."

Splinter hummed in agreement. "Neither did I."

Suddenly, the door slid wide open, and everyone snapped their surprised gazes upwards in alarm.

"_Hi HOOOOOOO!" _Donatello sang happily as he, Leonardo, Casey Jones and Kenshin finally stepped through the doors of the hut, smiling triumphantly.

The noise awoke Raphael as he jumped up with little yelp of surprise, and he looked up and down to find that he was lying on, and _latching onto _April, who simply smiled brightly at him. He growled as he pushed himself off of her, crossing his arms stubbornly as he turned away from her, a mad blush coating his cheeks.

That was humiliating…

As Mikey and Leather Head stood up upon their arrival, April leapt to her feet and ran towards them, and before he knew what hit him, Donnie found himself nearly on the floor as April rammed into him and hugged him, nuzzling her face into the crook of his shoulder. "Thank goodness you're okay you guys!" she cried, drawing away as she cupped his face with her hands and kissed his cheek.

Donnie squeaked, his face turning red. "_Heehee_!" he giggled.

April did the same to Leo, who only let out a chuckle in response, and as she was about to kiss Casey's cheek, Casey turned his face quickly and puckered his lips.

Donnie let out a horrified gasp.

However, April caught on quickly, and turned his face again and kissed his cheek, pulling away with a smirk and her arms folded. Casey shrugged sheepishly.

Donnie let out a breath of relief.

"Welcome back boys," Splinter greeted as he stood up and walked over to them as they laid down their bags in the middle of the floor, "was your mission successful?"

Leo folded his arms with a smile. "Well, sort of Sensei," he said, "We finally managed to find the power cell."

Leather Head's smile dropped as he snapped his gaze to Leonardo. "…You did what?" he murmured.

Leo and Donnie both took a cautious step away from the gator, who suddenly looked as if he were about to hit something, namely them. "Um," Donnie stuttered as he picked up his bag and rummaged through it, bringing out the power cell, "we just said that we found this at the bottom of the river."

"But do not worry," Kenshin reassured, "we will take care of it, and make sure that no one ever gets their hands on it. You have our word."

At that, Leather Head began to relax. "Good…thank you," he breathed. Mikey came next to him and patted his snout reassuringly, just as you would to a cat.

Donnie's expression suddenly lit up as he remembered something. "Oh yeah, uh, Leather Head? I've been meaning to ask you something. It's about the Kraang –"

Mikey's eyes grew wide as he froze on the spot.

Leather Head's eyes turned white as he let out a savage growl.

**_"_****_KRAAAAAAAAAANG!" _**he hollered, and he suddenly grabbed the purple clad turtle by his face, lifting him off the ground as he began to shake him violently in midair as he screamed, banging against the gators' hand with his fists.

The others gasped in horror, and Kenshin moved behind Casey in fear.

"GET HIM OFF ME! _GET HIM OFF ME!" _Donnie screamed.

Instantly, Splinter, Leo, Raph and Casey were on Leather Head, gripping him by the waist and arm as they tried to pin him down. Mikey quickly drew out his Kusarigama chain and spun it. "I'll help you Donnie!" he cried, flinging the chain and wrapping it around Donnie's middle and began to pull.

"Not like that, NOT LIKE _THAT!" _Donnie screeched in painful protest.

Leather Head roared as he swung himself wildly left and right, flinging off Splinter, Leo and Raph, whilst Casey and Mikey clung on for dear life. As for poor Donatello, he was still screaming in the larger mutants' powerful grasp, refusing to let him go.

As Mikey held on, he managed to leap onto Leather Heads' head by using his chain to swing on top of him, and he covered his eyes with his hands, blinding the gator. "Dude, chill! CHILL!" he cried, "Relax, it's okay!"

Soon enough, Leather Head's grip on Donnie's face loosened, and the tech guru dropped to the floor, immediately scrambling over to and latching onto Splinter, who held onto him protectively as he glared at the gator, making sure hos other two sons were behind him at all times. Casey released Leather Head's other arm as he backed up to where Kenshin and April were stood against the wall.

Leather Head's eyes returned to normal as his body relaxed, and he fell to his hands and knees as he panted in exhaustion. Mikey sighed in relief as he climbed off of his friend's head and knelt down beside him, stroking his snout soothingly. "There there buddy, it's gonna be okay," he said, then looked up to the rest of his friends and family, who were pressed up against the farthest corners of the room as they stared at them. "Everybody okay?" he asked.

Recovering from his shock, Raph stomped up to Mikey. "Are you crazy?! NO! We're _not _okay!" he growled testily, "Leather Head could've killed us!"

"And," Donnie stammered as he finally decided to let go of Splinter as he too stomped over to Mikey, "the fact that he had me BY THE **_FACE, MIKEY!" _**he bellowed.

April breathed heavily in tremor as she put a hand over her rapidly beating heart if her aunt was here, she would have had a heart attack already.

Casey huffed angrily, "Dude! I thought you said he was on our side!" he cried.

"He is!" Mikey insisted, "He's just confused! I think that the 'you-know-who' is like, I dunno, his trigger word or something, that's all! He didn't mean to hurt anyone, really!" He then turned back to Leather Head, "…right, buddy? We're your friends, right?"

Leather Head raised his eyes filled with regret to the ones surrounding him. "I am sorry," he said, standing up to his full height as he clasped his hands together nervously, "You are my friends, the only ones in this world that I truly trust…and you are protecting me from the ones that turned me into this…"

They all looked to one another solemnly. Leather Head really couldn't control his rage, could he No matter how hard he tried to bury it, throw it away, it was always there, ready to surface at the slightest thing.

Raph looked down as he scratched the back of his head. He could relate to that.

Mikey nodded once at all of them, and he turned back to Leather Head, and once again began to stroke his snout in a soothing manner. "Leather Head, you know you're in a safe place now, right?" he asked gently.

"…yes," Leather Head replied quietly.

"My brothers just wanna ask you a few questions…you think you can handle that?"

Leather head took in a deep breath. "…yes."

Mikey smiled and nodded. "Okay," he said, and then turned back to Donnie, "now, what is it that you wanted to ask bro?"

Donnie, still hesitant to approach the gator, let out a shaking breath. "Okay then…um, so about the 'you-know-who', Leather Head," he began hesitantly, "I-I just wanna know…what were they doing in Feudal Japan in the first place? Were they there simply because they wanted to experiment on animals?"

Leather Head looked down in thought. "…I am not certain of what their true purpose in this land originally was, nor do I know how long they had been there for…but if there is one thing that I am certain of, is that they need to be stopped!" he growled, "They are becoming more ruthless than the last time I had come across them…the animals that they now experiment on can no longer make it through their tests…"

The turtles shuddered. Next to April, Casey noticed that she had gone quite pale, and he put a reassuring arm around her shoulders.

"But, that still makes no sense," Kenshin mused, "why are they experimenting on animals?"

"I had heard that they had wanted to perfect the mutagen through a series of experiments on different organisms," Leather Head said, "but they have been unsuccessful. They need what they call 'The Perfect Mutant' in order to fully perfect the mutagen. Why they want to do that, I am still uncertain of…"

The mutants looked at each other in confusion and wonder. The perfect mutant? Was there really such a thing?

"And to think," Leonardo breathed, staring at the power cell in Donnie's hand, "that this power cell would help them do just that. And if not the power cell…"

"Then the mineral that Norinaga and Walker are looking for," Splinter concluded, stroking his beard in thought. "This all must come to an end before it comes out of hand completely."

"Easier said than done, Master Splinter," Raph huffed, "it's not as if we can just ask these guys to leave this village alone. And worse, we still don't know where that freaking scepter is."

"But we have to keep trying, Raph," April said, "If we don't find that scepter and the mineral before Walker does, then either they'll use it to destroy the village, or they'll hand it over to the Foot or the Kraang and – _whoops._"

Everyone's eyes grew wide. "**_NO!"_**

**_"_****_KRAAAAAAAAANG!"_**

* * *

From where he sat at his desk in the room that Lord Norinaga had so graciously offered him, Walker could hear the plundering of panicked feet just outside his sliding door. He rolled his eyes in exasperation as he put down the documents he was reading, shuffling them neatly into a pile at the side of his desk as he stood up. "Enter," he called, and several seconds later, two of his men came blundering inside. Walker sighed. "What is it now, boys?"

The two panted in exhaustion. "S-sir, we just seen two of those demons with Kenshin in the forest!"

Walker's interest was piqued as he raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Is that so? Tell me more."

"T-The blue demon…uh…Leonardo, he said his name was, wanted us t-to give you a message! He said to stay away from the village! T-They're gonna kill us all, sir!"

Much to their surprise, Walker only chuckled, waving a dismissive hand at them. "Nonsense," he jeered, "they have no power against us. They may have swords and spears, but we have guns at our disposal. Never bring a sword to a gun fight…"

He strode past them as he headed for the door. Before he left, he turned over his shoulder, "Tell the others to prepare themselves, and send out a messenger to one of those turtles…"

He then smiled wickedly. "…we're going to have ourselves a battle, dear boys."


	16. Chapter 16: Declaration of War

**A/N: Sorry for the lateness! Here is chapter 16!  
**

* * *

**Chapter 16: Declaration of War**

If jaw-splitting yawns could deafen a person, then Raphael would have lost all sense of hearing already as Michelangelo yawned and stretched loudly next to him from where they lay in a large dog pile of mutants and humans next to one another. After they had finally managed to calm down Leather Head (once again), the family decided to retire to their rooms for the night and resume the search the next morning. Aside from Splinter and April, who both occupied separate rooms, the boys all shared a room together, including Casey Jones and Leather Head. They all had their own futons to sleep on, but in the end, as usually happened when the turtle boys were away from home, a dog pile of mutants formed in the center of the room, all of them sleeping together in a pile of tangled limbs and blankets.

Raph's eyes snapped wide open in surprise at Mikey's loud snoring, and he let out a long low groan. Seriously, it was only just dawn! He needed more sleep for crying out loud. He turned over and tried his best to ignore his youngest brothers' snoring as he closed his eyes again and snuggled closer to whatever he was resting against…

…which unbeknownst to the sleeping turtle, was Casey Jones' face, who in response snuggled closer to Raphael as he slung an arm around him, murmuring something about April in his sleep as his cheek rested upon the red clad turtle's head.

Raph raised a confused brow, his eyes still closed.

Was that an arm around him?

He took out his left arm and tapped his hand at the one wrapped around his waist. It was too thin to be a turtle arm, but too bare and clothed to be Splinter's arm, and last he remembered, Splinter was in another room…

He cracked an eye open and shifted his head up slightly, which caused Casey to open his own eyes and look down in confusion.

Both boys' eyes widened in horror.

They were practically hugging each other whilst they slept…like…_lovers?!_

Casey blinked down at his turtle friend, whose face was against his chest. "Umm…what're you doing?" he stammered.

Raph blinked up at him with wide green eyes, and then stared down at the arm wrapped around his shoulders. "…w-what're _you _doing?" he stuttered.

Casey's eyes shifted down at him again. "…dude…where's your other hand?"

Both boys turned to look over Casey's shoulder, only to find that Raph's other hand was…

Casey gasped in horrific disgust. "GET YOUR HAND OFF MY **_ASS_**!" he screeched, pushing Raph away from him as he scrambled to his feet.

Raph also let out a high pitched squeal as he scooted away from Casey in total horror, effectively rolling on top of Mikey, who too was startled awake with a scream. "AAH! SHREDDER, ALIENS, **_RUUUUUUN!" _**he squawked.

Leonardo and Donatello were instantly awake, tumbling out of their futons in a tangle of limbs and blankets. "WHAT?! ALIENS?! WHERE?!" Leo cried, reaching for the katanas that were not there. "Where's the Kraang!?"

Next to him, Donnie's eyes widened to the size of saucers. "**_LEO, NO!" _**

Lying directly behind them, the giant mutant gator, Leather Head, suddenly snapped his eyes open, turning white with rage as he leapt up from where he lay and towered over the panic-stricken mess of mangled teens.

Casey and Raph stopped their panicked yelping as they both looked up at the now enraged Leather Head.

Casey gulped. "_Ohhhhh_ Shi –"

**_"_****_KRAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!"_**

In the blink of an eye, Leather Head was upon them in a blind rage. Or, to be accurate, his hand was upon Donatello's face as he lifted the unfortunate turtle off the ground and shook him up and down as he screamed.

"_He's grabbing me by the __**face**__ again!" _he cried.

As Leo and Raph attempted to stop the giant mutant, he swept his tail at them, knocking them to the corner of the room as he kicked back Casey.

"Leather Head, don't – _UGH!" _cried Mikey before he too was swiped away as the gator roared. Mikey rubbed his aching chest. "He must be having a nightmare!" he called.

"_That makes __**two **__of us!" _Donnie screeched before he was finally released and sent flying into Casey, both rolling on the floor and groaning in pain.

Raph let out a snarl as he leapt up onto Leather Head's back, hanging on for dear life in an attempt to retrain him. "He's _your _friend Mikey! What do we do?!" he barked to his younger brother.

"Rub his belly!" Mikey called back, "he likes it!"

Raph made a face. "_What _are you saying?!" he yapped, and then was slammed against the other wall, and he let out a little groan as he slid down and landed on his face.

Mikey decided it was time he did something before Leather Head lost control completely, and he rushed up towards him, spreading his arms out wide in an attempt to gain the gators' attention. "Leather Head!" he called, "c'mon dude! It's Michelangelo! Turn off the crazy eyes buddy!"

Leather Head rounded on the smaller mutant, and grabbed him firmly, pinning the turtle's arms to his side as he lifted him off his feet, preparing his other clawed hand to strike at him. Mikey let out a whimper of fear as he squirmed in his friends' grip, squeezing his eyes closed as he waited for the blow to come.

But it never did as Leather Head blinked several times, his eyes returning to normal as he finally woke up from his haze. His free hand came up to rub his temples as he let out a little groan. "…Michelangelo?" he murmured. He looked to the other sides of the room to find the other three turtles and Casey all getting up, rubbing their aching bodies.

His eyes widened in realization. "My friends…oh no!" he gasped as he set Mikey back on his feet with care, and he laced his fingers together nervously as he looked down at his feet in shame. "I got angry again, didn't I?" he mumbled sadly.

Mikey looked up at him sadly, placing a gentle consoling hand on his friend's arm.

"Yes! You did it again!" Donnie barked, earning a scowl from Mikey that went unheeded as he stepped towards Leather Head with a deep frown, "Why do you keep grabbing my face?! What is _wrong_ with my _face_?!"

"Would you like to list alphabetically?" Raph smirked.

"Or do you want it in descending order of grossness?" Casey chortled, sharing a fist bump with Raph as Donnie turned on them with a testy growl.

Leonardo sighed with a roll of his eyes, pinching the space between his brows in agitation; it was far too early in the morning for the oldest turtle to be dealing with this right now, especially after the long and slightly unsuccessful hunt for the scepter last night. He turned his gaze from his brothers to where they had hidden the Kraang power cell in the far corner of the room, still tucked in Donatello's bag.

They needed to keep that thing hidden at all times. It may even come to actually taking the cell with them back to New York. It was far too risky to leave it where the Kraang could easily track it.

But then again, taking it back to New York where over a thousand Kraang were already swarming the city wasn't the best idea either, but at least there, he and his brothers would have a better chance of hiding it a defending it from the aliens. It they ever found it here, they would destroy this place just to find it, and there was no way that he or his brothers would allow that to happen.

Besides, he knew that Donnie would come up with a way of hiding it away from the Kraang, right?

It was in that moment whilst Donnie, Raph and Casey were bickering that April O'Neil knocked on the door before entering the room, dressed in Japanese pajamas as she stumbled inside, rubbing her tired eyes and yawning. "What was all that noise?" she asked tiredly, just as Master Splinter entered behind her, "did we miss a war or something?"

"Nah April, it was nothing!" Mikey piped up, "It was just Leather Head having a nightmare about the–"

"**_DON'T SAY IT! DON'T SAY IT!" _**screeched Raph and Donnie as they both slapped a hand over Mikey's mouth whilst Leo and Casey glared at him.

Mikey shrugged sheepishly.

Splinter sighed and shook his head. "Teenagers."

* * *

It was after the mutant family had their breakfast that Mitsu entered their hut, kneeling before them and telling them that the search for the scepter must resume as soon as they were ready. This time, it was Raphael and Michelangelo and April's turn to search the forest, with Mitsu as their guide, leaving Leonardo, Casey and Donatello in the village.

As they walked through the dense forest in silence, Mikey couldn't help but notice how much Mitsu's demeanor had changed since yesterday; she was back to her normal, restricted, solemn self, not a playful glow in her eyes or a kind smile on her face at all. It was as if everything that had happened yesterday never happened, or had no impact on her at all.

That made him quite sad inside as he frowned. It seemed that no matter what he did, he just couldn't break away that mold of sternness that had been forged into her personality. He guessed that's just how it went…

However, the only thing that Raphael noticed about the young woman as he followed her from behind was how her fingers seemed to twitch nervously at her sides…

He quirked a brow as he stared. He knew she was always on her guard, but so was he and his brothers, and even they weren't as twitchy and nervous as she currently was.

That is, unless, she knew something they didn't…

"So, Mitsu," he began conversationally, getting a surprised jolt from the young woman in front of him, only adding to his suspicions, "do you have any idea where they could've hidden the scepter, huh? Any idea at all?"

Mitsu refused to meet the red clad turtles' gaze as she instead looked up at the trees. "…I don't. Is that not why we are searching?" she replied evenly.

Her fingers clenched into a fist at her side. And Raph noticed.

He let out a snort. "…you hiding something from us missy?" he asked.

Mitsu stopped in her tracks, her breath hitching slightly as she spun around angrily to face the shorter red turtle, who had his arms folded over his chest as he glared up at her. Mikey and April had stopped behind him and stared at Mitsu in wonder.

The young woman shook her head firmly, her own glare growing across her features. "No. I would not hide anything; I am an honest woman," she argued steadfastly.

Raph only smirked at her answer. "Then be _honest_ with _me_…what's with the twitchy fingers and the sweaty palms?" he observed, watching with satisfaction as she slid her eyes down to her hands in subtle realization, "and just so you know, I'm not very fond of liars; never have been and never will be. So if you _are _keeping something from us…"

He reached for the handle of his Sai. "…I won't hold back just because Kenshin likes you, _sweetheart_," he growled.

Mitsu instinctively reached behind her for her bow and arrow, her eyes never leaving the now hostile turtle before her. "As I said before, Raphael, I am an honest woman. And _I _will not hold back either simply because my younger brother likes _you_, demon," she spat.

Raphael felt a feral growl in his throat as he gripped his Sai tighter, ready to unsheathe it. He nearly lashed out when he felt a soft but firm hand over the one that held the hilt of his Sai as he snapped his head around with angry eyes, but they softened when he found that it was April, looking into his eyes with a firm but understanding gaze.

"That's _enough. Both_ of you," she commanded, the tone of her voice daring any of them, including a slightly cowering Mikey, to disagree with her, "we don't have time to debate over this. Let's just keep looking, and we'll deal with this when we get back. Okay?"

Raph hated being told what do; he could barely stand Leo's orders most of the time. But this was April his older human sister (though he hated to admit that there was _another _sibling older then him) and weather he liked it or not, it was in his best interests that he did as she said.

He couldn't hit her or tell her to shut up like he did his brothers, and it was not because she was a girl; he just didn't have it in him to treat her that way, especially after everything they had been through together. Besides, he and she shared a silent understanding with one another that he even Casey, his best friend, didn't know of.

Letting out a breath, he nodded at her once, which was rewarded with a soft smile from the red head as she patted his hand and released it. Raph turned back to Mitsu with a hard look in his eyes, but he nodded for her to continue their course. She too put her hand down and nodded back in return, and without another word, she turned and began to walk again with the others following close behind.

Walking behind April, Mikey put both hands on her shoulders and put his chin on her left as he looked up at her in wonder. "How'd you do that?!" he whispered.

April turned back to him and blinked. "Do what?" she whispered back.

"Get Raph to calm down like that?"

April giggled, tapping her nose with her finger. "A true kunoichi never reveals her secrets, grasshopper!" she teased.

Mikey grinned, "_Guuurl_, you're _good_!" he snickered, nuzzling his cheek against hers as she let out a giggle.

In front of them, Raph rolled his eyes with a tolerant smirk.

* * *

A few hours passed, and the small group had still found no trace of the scepter. Raph was beginning to grow frustrated with every passing second, whilst Mikey…

"We've been walking through the forest for _hours _now dudes," he whined, "this is so _boring _I'm gonna scream…"

Which a millisecond after saying that, he did.

"_Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa – "_

**_"_****_MIKEY!" _**Raph and April cried furiously, further silencing the screaming turtle as he flinched as if he were about to be hit, which Raph would have already done so if not for April's restraint. "Okay, _okay! _We get it Mikey, you're bored! We are too! But the sooner we find the scepter, the sooner we can get out of here! So Raph, _stop trying to hit him!" _April hissed testily as Raph finally relaxed enough so that she could release him, sighing in agitation.

"You're a freaking ninja, Mikey!" Raph jeered, poking Mikey in the face, "Ninjas are supposed to be quiet!"

Mikey blinked at him "Whoa dude," he breathed as if he had seen a ghost, "you sounded just like Leo!"

Raph snarled, pulling up a fist as he prepared to hit the younger turtle, when something else caught his attention behind the other turtle. He slowly lowered his fist as he squinted his eyes, raising a curious brow. Mikey soon caught on, and he looked behind him also towards the bushes. "What is it, Raph?" Mikey asked, but Raph shushed him.

April felt that sudden tingling sensation in her brain again. Only this time, she didn't ignore it. "Guys, someone's watching us!" she cried.

Raph immediately tensed. "Really?! Where?!" he barked, drawing out both his Sais as Mikey drew out his nunchaku, and Mitsu loaded her bow with an arrow at the ready.

April's eyes widened as she glanced around her.

"…Everywhere."

Before they could react, a loud voice called out from the shadows; "IF YOU FREAKISH DEMONS AND REBLES MAKE IT OUT ALIVE, TELL YOUR OTHER FRIENDS OUT THERE THAT IF YOU DON'T HAND OVER THE GIRL AND THE SCEPTER, WE'RE GONNA HAVE OURSELVES A **_WAR_**!"

Raph caught the sight of a small glint of light in the bushes.

His eyes widened in realization.

Someone was about to fire a gun.

Raphael only had seconds to act, grabbing both April and Mikey and pushing them out of the way before the shot was fired.

From where they lay sprawled out on the ground, Mikey and April looked up and gasped in horror as Raphael hit the ground limply.

"**_RAPHIE, NO!" _**Mikey screamed.

* * *

"Pick me up, Leonardo-san!"

"No, no! Me next, me next!"

"No, you said it was _my _turn!"

Leonardo let out a laugh as the children swarmed him, clinging onto his legs like a giant turtle teddy bear as he tried to walk with them, pretending that they were heavier than they looked. "Okay kids! All aboard at the station!" he laughed along with them as he made stereotypical train sounds; "_Woo_ _woo_!" he cheered.

Not far off, Casey Jones was demonstrating his hockey techniques to the older children, giving them their own makeshift sticks to practice with as he wrestled the puck back and forth from them, preparing to score the goal with his own team. He raised his stick in the air as he prepared to swing. "Casey Jones shoots!" he called, and the puck was sent sailing through the two long sticks stuck in the ground that served as a goal. "He SCORES!" he cheered along with his team, high fiving them all with a gapped toothed grin, "And _that_ is how you play hockey!"

Donatello shook his head and laughed at his human friend and older brother as they played. He could tell that Leonardo was having far too much fun being the older brother again…

Although he didn't actually mind it much himself in reality.

Yoshi, the child Raphael had been playing with the day before, picked up his pretend sword and held it up before him. "Are you ready, Donatello-san?!" he declared with a grin full of delight as he faced off with the taller turtle.

Donnie smirked down at the child with a wicked smile. "I am not Donatello! I am Lord Norinaga!" he announced, and with a gapped toothed grin big enough to split his face, he skipped over to where Aunt Robyn stood, taking her by the arm as he pretended to take the woman captive, much to her feigned dismay as she let out a dramatic cry.

"Oh no, I have been kidnapped!" she cried, putting a hand over her head theatrically.

"Hahahaha!" Donnie cackled wickedly, "I, Lord Norinaga, challenge Yoshi to a duel!" he said, and planting Robyn behind him for a moment as his little 'minions' held her back, he charged for Yoshi with his Bo staff.

Yoshi was prepared as Donnie took gentle swings at him, making sure that he didn't use his full strength on the child as not to hurt him. "Take _that_! And _that_! And _this_!" Donnie chuckled.

Yoshi grinned as he swung his wooden sword at the mutant. "Death to tyrant!" he cried.

Donnie's expression turned fearful as he began to comically run away from the little warrior, squealing like a little girl. "Oh, oh please don't hurt me!" he cried as Yoshi chased him, circling the 'captive' Robyn and Donnie's 'evil minions'.

"Oh save me Yoshi, save me!" she cried, but was then taken over by giggles as she watched them play fight. She hadn't had this much fun since the dodge ball fight back at the lair, which was nearly a month ago now.

Yoshi then brought his sword down and struck it hard against Donnie's foot. He yelped as he hopped on one foot and held the other in his hands. "Ouch! Oh, that's not fair!" he wailed. He then cried out in a childish manner, "_Mommy_!" and then proceeded to suck his thumb.

The children around him laughed. "That's Norinaga alright!" one giggled. From where he and his team stood and watched the scene play out, Casey and the children around him were already in a laughing fit, some even wiping tears as they laughed.

"Nice act, Donnie – I mean, Norinaga!" Casey teased.

Yoshi laughed and cheered at his victory. "Yes! Now I've got you!" he declared, pointing the tip of his wooden sword at Donnie.

"Oh no, have mercy! Mercy!" Donnie cried, and he took the sword from Yoshi as he impaled himself with it, letting out a loud wail of pain as he dramatically stumbled back and forth unsteadily. "Oh, he got me! I'm dying! Oooohhh…" he cried, groaning as he finally fell to the ground in a limp heap.

The children crowded around him, grinning down at the fallen warrior. "Donatello-san? Are you dead?" Yoshi giggled.

Donnie cracked an eye open. "No. This is the part where you save Robyn and take her back to the village," he whispered, "and then you all live happily ever after." And then he pretended to die again.

The children all cheered and laughed at his defeat, with Robyn joining in as she bent down and kissed Yoshi on the cheek. "My hero!" she cooed. Yoshi made a disgusted sound as he wiped off the kiss from his cheek, much to the other children's delight as they all giggled at him as he blushed furiously. The adults passing by all chuckled and smiled at the demons display to the children.

Donnie sat up and smiled. It had been years since he was able to play like this, and he loved it. He felt so relaxed and at peace, just as Mikey had told him he and Raph had felt the other night. He looked back up towards Leo and Casey, who both smiled at him even as they were swarmed by dozens of kids who wanted to touch Leo's katanas or play more hockey with 'Mr. Jones'.

Maybe coming to Japan wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Suddenly, Donnie felt a frantic buzzing in his belt pocket, followed by a loud ring. He started for a moment before realizing it was his T-phone. He stood up and excused himself from the group as he answered the phone, bringing the device to his ear. "Donatello here, you guys found the scepter –"

"_DONNIE!" _Mikey's panicked voice called out loudly, making Donnie wince, "_WE NEED HELP! RAPH'S IN TROUBLE, HE'S HURT REAL BAD!"_

Donnie's eyes widened in shock, but he kept his composure for his baby brother's sake. "Okay Mikey, calm down, what's wrong with Raph?" he asked calmly.

"_HE WAS SHOT! SOMEBODY SHOT HIM WITH A POISON DART AND HE'S BLEEDING EVERYWHERE! __**GET OVER HERE!"**_

Donnie's face paled in fear.

The purple clad turtle was very well versed in the ways of medicines and poisons, for he was the doctor of the team; when someone got hurt during a mission, it was Donatello's job to patch them up and make sure they recovered quickly by using all the right medicines and tools he needed to get the job done.

But that was the problem; all his tools were back in his lab, all the way back in America, and so was his book of poisons and symptoms to watch out for.

He would be useless…

…but he had to try anyways! He had to save his brother no matter what!

He swallowed thickly as he gripped the phone with both shaking hands. "Mikey, stay calm! We're on our way! Just make sure Raph stays awake!" he commanded.

"_Okay but hurry up! We're under attack here!" _Mikey cried, and without warning, the connection was cut off.

Donnie wasted no time I rushing over to Leonardo and Casey. "Guys! We've got problems!" he cried.

Casey and Leo stopped their playing and looked at Donatello's stricken expression. "Donnie, what's wrong?" Leo asked calmly, "Did something bad happen to Mikey, Raph and April?"

"Worse!" Donnie exclaimed, "Raph was shot! He's been hit with a poisoned dart! We've gotta get to them _now!_"


	17. Chapter 17: The Cure

**A/N: Here you go! Chapter 17! I REALLY liked this one, but I'm a little torn about how I handled Leo and Splinter in this, and I'm now aware that this is becoming a very crowded fic! Too many characters!**

**I OWN NOTHING!**

**R&R!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 17: The Cure**

The first thing that Raphael was aware of was pain. Pure, blinding, unrelenting pain exploding from his right shoulder as the dart pierced his thick green skin, sending blood oozing out on the grass from the open wound as he lay there, motionless and groaning in agony. He hurriedly tore out the dart and grasped his bleeding shoulder tightly with his left hand as he let out a cry of pain, gritting his teeth together to suppress the tears.

Damn! Why did this hurt so much?! Even Shredder's blades across his face didn't hurt as much as this did; thinking about it now only made it seem like a mosquito bite in comparison! What was happening?!

He drew back to find his three fingered shaking green palm coated in blood…and another thick, black liquid that he was sure wasn't supposed to be there…

Suddenly, the world around him began to swirl out of focus, his vision becoming cloudy and blurry as he blinked several times. What was going on? Why was the world spinning?

And…was that a white six legged horse he could see? No wait, now it was a _flying_ six legged horse.

Raph blinked several times. Was he seeing things?

Hands were suddenly upon him then as he was shifted to lie down in someone's soft lap, his head cradled with someone's large hand. He looked up to find a pair of large worried baby blue eyes and a blurry green face staring down at him. It took him several moments, but after the pixies flew away, Raphael was finally able to identify the person as his baby brother Michelangelo.

"_Ra-Ra-Raph?! Are you okay-ay-ay?!" _the voice echoed loudly in his ears, making the hot head wince.

Raph struggled to reply, his mouth going dry as he opened and closed it again. His head was pounding so hard he feared it would split, and his stomach felt like it would burst at any second…everything hurt…he just wanted it to stop…

He lifted a shaking hand up to Mikey, which was immediately grasped as he squeezed it tightly and reassuringly.

"Ugh…I'm…fine…" Raph groaned, even thought it was a complete lie, but somewhere in the back of his mind, something was telling him…

_"__don't worry him…baby brother…keep him safe…don't make him worry…you love him…"_

Raph opened his eyes to look up at the blurry freckled face. A silly grin then appeared on his face. "I love you," he sighed happily.

Michelangelo stared down at the dazed turtle in his arms. "He's _not _fine, April!" he called, becoming more panicked than ever. It had only been seconds after Raphael had been hit that the men hiding in the bushes all leapt out from their hiding places and attacked them, hoping to gain the upper hand with Raph out of commission; they must have figured out that Raph was the strongest out of the four 'demon' turtles, and so with him poisoned and slowly dying, they would be able to take April O'Neil and the female rebel leader without any trouble.

But they didn't count on the fact that both women were armed and dangerous, fighting back without hesitation as they drew their weapons and face the goons head on.

As April kicked and sliced her Tessen through the barrage of Walker's thugs, she was absolutely livid. No one touched any of her brothers and got away without a serious injury.

She would make them pay dearly for what they had dared to do to Raphael.

April spun around at Mikey panicked call to find him kneeling down with the sick turtle in his lap, holding his hand and cradling the back of his head. "Did you call Donnie already?!" she called back to him.

Mikey nodded frantically, "I did! He said that they were coming! They can trace the signal on my T-Phone from here!"

"Good! Just keep Raph from passing out! It'll be okay Mikey, I promise!" she said before ducking underneath the swipe of a goons fist and spinning on her heel to deliver a hard kick in the stomach followed by a swipe in the face with her Tessen. She then backed up against Mitsu, her bow and arrow prepared as she looked back at the younger red head. The two were surrounded by four men armed with clubs and spears, all of them grinning devilishly at the two women.

April and Mitsu shared a nod, and without warning, April back-flipped high over Mitsu's head as she spun around and fired two arrows at once at the men behind her, whilst April took out the other two with several kicks and swift swipes of her fan. The thugs fell to the ground in a heap, and April and Mitsu shared a brief smile at their achievement before plunging back into the battle.

Mitsu knew that the red clad turtle was exhausting and irritable, but she had seen herself how he interacted and played with her little Yoshi; he was truly kind at heart, despite what he may seem outwards and how he treats and speaks to others around him.

Also, he had a family. She was no stranger to losing members of a family, and she would never wish that same fate upon anyone, not even her enemies.

She had to protect them all, no matter what the cost.

Meanwhile, all of Mikey's focus was on making sure his older brother stayed awake, patting his pale face to jolt the hallucinating turtle's eyes open. "C'mon Raph! Stay with me bro! Speak to me!" he cried. His eyes widened when he felt how hot his cheeks were to the touch. He was burning up badly; he felt like a radiator. That wasn't natural for a mutant turtle!

Raph looked up at the colorful looking turtle, surrounded by rainbows and butterflies. Wow, they were so pretty! And Mikey looked so cool and awesome and smart today…Mikey was always smart…Mikey was funny…

"…you're the smartest guy I know, Mikey!" he giggled.

Mikey stared down at him blankly.

Had he really just heard that?

A goon had slipped past April and Mitsu and attempted to bring his large fist down upon the distracted orange clad turtle whilst his back was turned, but without even looking away from the sick one, Mikey pulled out his kusarigama chain, wrapped it around the guy's wrist and flipped him over his head, sending him flying into another goon as they crashed to the floor.

Mikey's grip tightened on Raph's hand. He felt his brothers' pulse weaken…and all of a sudden, he just stared getting colder and colder.

He prayed that Donnie would get there before it was too late.

* * *

"Faster guys! Move your shells!" Casey Jones called over his shoulder as he ran headlong through the trees and bushes of the forest with the turtles and Master Splinter on his heels. Donatello had been tracing the signal from Mikey's T-Phone to find their exact location, but the readings were very poor, due to the fact that they were in the middle of a forest, making Donatello question himself on just how reliable his inventions really were.

"Donnie, you got a reading yet?!" Leonardo called as he ran side by side with Master Splinter, who carried a pouch filled with medicinal herbs in his arm. He thanked the stars that he had experience with using such herbs besides the modern medicines that his third son, Donatello, often used. And he was even more thankful that his friend Okina had stored so many herbs in his basement for just such an incident.

Donnie growled as he banged the device against his free hand, begging for it to work. "Arg! No Leo, I've got nothing but static!" he cried, "we're never gonna make it in time at this rate!"

"Keep your head together, Donnie!" Leo commanded firmly, "we'll make it! Mikey said on the phone that they were being attacked, right? So we just have to look out for the sounds of fighting and we'll be–"

The sound of Donnie's T-Phone ringing startled them all as they looked back at the purple clad turtle, who nearly dropped the phone as he fumbled around with it, trying to answer it and contain his jitters at the same time. "H-Hello?" he answered, "Mikey! We're almost there, but quickly tell me what his symptoms are!" he stammered.

Mikey's voice was shaking and far more panicked than before. "_He keeps telling me he's the smartest guy he knows!"_

"Okay, okay he's delusional," Donnie mused, looking back at his father as he sorted through the herbs, picking out the correct ones to use. He picked a hand full, stuffing it into a separate smaller pouch, and sent Donnie a nod, who nodded back in confirmation and then continued to ask for the list of the symptoms. "How's his color?" he asked.

"Green, man! And I mean _waaaaay_ more than usual!" Mikey replied into the phone, and without warning he snapped his head around to glare furiously at the two thugs that had tried to sneak up on him.

Donnie could hear the sounds of fighting on the other line, and after a moment, he spoke again. "Mikey, does he have any nausea?"

"_Nah Don, he doesn't have any – aww check that!"_

The sounds of Raphael heaving were heard, and Donnie cringed. "Ugh…" he winced. That sounded pretty bad.

Casey grimaced, "Poor Raph."

"_Aww what the – I knew you ate my Ramen! You LIAR!" _ Mikey barked.

Donnie rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. "Mikey, focus! Where are April and Mitsu?" he asked, "Are they okay?!"

"_Yeah, they're fending off the goons pretty good – uh oh, scratch that! They just brought out this big guy with – __**holy crap, APRIL! **__Donnie, get here __**now!**__" _Mikey cried, and after a shrill scream, the connection cut off, leaving only static.

"Mikey? Mikey!" Donnie cried, but there was no response. Worry was now seated deep within Donatello's chest as his eyes widened in fear. Now they were all in trouble, and if they didn't get there in time, both his brothers were going to die, and April and Mitsu would be captured and either locked away for the rest of their lives, or worse...

There was no way he was going to let that happen!

Donnie expression creased in determination as pushed himself to go faster, even passing a stricken faced Casey as he raced ahead of the others. "C'mon guys, move it! Raph and Mikey need us! Let's go!" he called over his shoulder.

He wouldn't let his brothers or April die. He wasn't going to let them slip away from him again!

* * *

April and Mitsu were too tired to continue as they fell to their knees, panting heavily in exhaustion, with April gripping her left side from the hard blow she received from the muscular thug that had decided to crash the party. If that wasn't going to leave a bruise, she didn't know what will.

They glared up at the remaining goons that surrounded them as they smirked down at them. "Looks like the little lassies are tired out, eh boys?" the muscular one cackled, turning to where the orange clad turtle held the slowly dying red turtle in his arms, and his smirk broadened. "Make sure they don't move; I'm going after those demons!" he chuckled, moving over to where they lay and raising his fist.

April growled and stumbled quickly but painfully to her feet. "Don't you _dare_!" she snarled as she made a move to charge t the man, but was held back by her arms by the other men blocking her path, and she was shoved roughly into Mitsu on the floor. She attempted to get back up again, but was held down once again. "Leave them _alone_!"

Mikey threw himself over Raph's prone form, shielding his ailing brother with his own body as he glared daggers at the man. "No! I won't let you hurt him!" he growled, tears starting in his eyes as he ground his teeth together in anger.

The man only sniggered. "Sorry kiddies! Time for you to take a nap!" he chuckled darkly, raising his large fist into the air and prepared to bring it down on the youngest turtle.

Mikey shut his eyes, holding onto Raph tighter as he waited for the blow.

"**_GOONGALAAAAAAAAAA!"_**

All heads snapped up towards the trees, and they found the proud silhouette of a young masked boy standing on a high branch, one hand on his hip and the other holding onto a vine.

"You filthy scum better leave my brothers alone if you know what's good for ya!" he called down to them all, who stared up at him in utter bafflement.

A drugged Raphael looked up at the boy, and another silly grin appeared. "Ooooh, a pretty fairy!" he cooed.

Casey Jones grabbed the vine with both hands and leapt off the branch, letting out an almighty 'Tarzan Call' as he swung down and kicked the muscled man squarely in the face, knocking him away from Mikey and Raph as the boy landed soundly on his feet, drawing out his hockey stick.

He looked back at the tree and then to the surprised glances of April, Mitsu and the remaining conscious goons around them. "…Wow," he breathed, "that could've gone so wrong, but it didn't, and it was awesome."

The muscled man stood up again, glaring at Casey as he wiped the blood off his chin. "I remember you! You're the kid who tazed me!" he spat, cracking his knuckles, "Now I'm gonna return the favor!"

Casey spun his stick and pointed it threateningly at the larger man, his eyes narrowing with a glare. "Bring it, punk!" he growled, and he launched himself at him with a loud yell.

Donatello and Leonardo suddenly burst put from the bushes, followed by Splinter as they took the guards by surprise and began to take out the remaining thugs, freeing April and Mitsu in the process. April smiled up at the purple clad turtle as he helped her up. "Took you long enough," she joked.

Donnie smirked down at her, simply thankful that she was alright. "Traffic was a pain in the shell," he retorted, and then turned his head to where Leo and Casey were fighting off the thugs with ease. "Guys, keep them busy whilst Splinter and I help Raph!" he called.

"That shouldn't be a problem, Donnie!" Leo called back, flipping over a clumsy thug and landing a solid kick into the back of his head, knocking him out cold.

Donnie nodded, and without further delay, Donnie and his father rushed over to where Mikey kneeled down beside a slowly fading Raphael. Luckily enough, Splinter had managed to mix the herbs together and places them inside a water bottle he had carried along with them before they had arrived, so the antidote was ready.

And not a moment too soon either; Raphael looked as if he were about to give in.

"Raph!" Donnie called out to him, placing a hand on his older brother's cheek, and nearly drawing his hand away when he felt how cold he had become, "You still with us buddy?"

Raphael blinked awake, rolling his head weakly to look up at the blurry faces of Donnie and Splinter as they stared down at him in worry. "…Donnie? Sensei?" he murmured faintly, his face creased with pain.

Donnie smiled down at him and nodded. "Yeah Raph, it's us," he said softly.

Splinter placed a hand on his other cheek, rubbing his thumb across it reassuringly. "Do not fear my son, we will help you. The pain will be over soon," he soothed. It killed him to see his son, any of his sons, in such agony.

Raph let out a groan of pain as he looked over his chest to his feet, and he quirked a brow. "…why're there fingers on my feet?" he asked.

Splinter, Don and Mikey all looked blankly at Raph's feet.

"Acid trip," Mikey deadpanned.

Donnie shook his head and turned to Splinter, who passed him the water bottle filled with the antidote, and he quickly unscrewed the cap. "Hand in there, buddy," he reassured, carefully bringing his upper half into his arm as he put the bottle to his lips, "you'll be okay. Just drink this, and it'll be all over."

After a moment, Raphael was able to swallow the antidote, and after a few coughs from the fowl taste, he looked back up at Donnie, his green eyes no longer filled with pain as he smiled up at his younger brother. "Thanks…Magical Unicorn," he said, and then his head fell limp into Donnie's chest as he finally lost consciousness, letting the healing sleep take over him at last.

Meanwhile, only one last thug remained, the one who had fired the dart at Raphael, and he was making a beeline for an escape. Casey had finally (once again) finished off the muscle man, and he turned to see a man running off with a loaded gun.

His eyes widened; he was the one that shot his brother.

Casey felt his blood boil and his breaths come out in ragged huffs, and with a loud yell, Casey charged over to him and mercilessly smacked the man hard over his head several times, knocking him out cold as he fell limp to the ground, his head bleeding slightly from the new wound. Casey huffed angrily as he glared down at the fallen goon at his feet.

"_That _was for Raphael, you slime ball!" he growled.

No one shot down his best friend and got away with it. _No_ _one_.

He lifted up his mask as he ran towards Raphael with Leonardo, April and Mitsu in tow as they gathered around Donatello, Michelangelo and Splinter. Casey knelt down beside Donnie, his eyes widening when he saw that Raph's eyes were closed and he wasn't moving. "Is he dead?!" he cried, his dark brown eyes looking back up to Donnie in worry.

Donnie shook his head, quickly placing a hand on Casey's shoulder to calm the boy. "No, no Casey, he's fine. He's just sleeping for now. With the antidote in his system he'll be just fine," he reassured, earning sighs of relief from the others.

Thank goodness. They had made it just in time.

Splinter gentle took Raphael from Donatello and stood up with his slumbering son in his arms. "We must return to the village, now!" he commanded, "before more soldiers arrive!"

All nodded in understanding, and they quickly raced off back into the forest.

As they all retreated, Leonardo glared straight ahead, his eyes searing with hatred. He knew that Walker and Norinaga were desperate for the scepter, but now they had gone too far.

April had told him that one of them announced that if they didn't give up the scepter and surrender April, Walker and Norinaga would start a war.

Well, If Norinaga wanted a war, he would get one alright.

But if Leonardo was sure of anything, it's that he and his brothers would make sure that they never even reached the village gates.

* * *

_Huh…that's funny…I feel kinda…different. I don't feel sick anymore. _

_Wait…what is…what am I lying on? _

_…__am I in a bed?_

Raphael slowly opened his emerald green eyes, the world around him still in a very blurry focus until his sight finally adjusted, and he found himself staring up at a wooden roof from where he lay. He shifted slightly, and he realized he was lying on a futon with a soft, warm blanket draped over his body.

How did he get here? The last thing he remembered was that he was in so much pain, lying in someone's arms…looking up at Donatello…and then everything went black.

It was then that he finally realized that there was a weight across his chest, and he peeked over the covers to find his youngest, freckled faced brother Michelangelo lying on his chest with his arms crossed underneath his head to pillow his face, which was a picture of peace as he slept on the red clad turtles' chest, his fingers twitching every so often as he dreamed.

Raph sat up slowly and as carefully as he could so as not to wake Mikey, though under any other circumstances he already would have. But it was as plain as the bandages around his arm the reason that he was here was because he was worried. Worried that Raph would die today. Worried that he wouldn't wake up…

Worried that he would be afraid if he was left alone…

Which of course Raph wasn't, but still, he smiled at the fact that his little brother cared about him to think that. Just like Raph cared about Mikey and April enough to take the shot for the both of them.

He stretched out a hand and rubbed Mikey's head with a smirk. "You dork," he said quietly. He then lay back down under the covers, resting his head on his pillow, and without a word, he reached out and held onto Mikey's hand, squeezing it slightly.

"…whatever you say Raphie…"

Raph only scoffed in response, before falling back asleep, knowing fully well that he wasn't going to wake up alone.


	18. Chapter 18:Uncertainty

**A/N: Chapter 18! We're on a roll here!**

**I own nothing! I hope you like it!**

**Thanks to everyone who commented so far, you all rock!**

* * *

**Chapter 18: Uncertainty **

When Raphael had finally woken up after several hours of sleeping (with Michelangelo never once leaving his side the entire time, though it hadn't surprised any of them in the least), Leonardo and Donatello had filled the red masked turtle in on everything that had happened.

Raph never liked bad news, and hearing about Norinaga wanting to start a war against the entire village was something he _really _didn't want to hear when he just woke up.

"What?! Are you serious?! That's freaking crazy, Leo!" Raph barked angrily, his fists clenching at his sides as he abruptly sat up on his futon, "does this guy even give a crap about anyone but himself?! Is this guy even _human?!"_

Leonardo, unfazed by his brothers burst of anger, put his hands on Raphael's' shoulders and eased him back into a sitting position on his futon, "Easy, Raphael," he cautioned calmly despite the younger turtles' enraged state, "your shoulder's still in pretty bad shape; Donnie wants you to stay in bed for the next few hours and not do yourself an injury, got it?"

Raph snarled, "I don't have time to lie down here and do nothing, Leo! Norinaga and Walker are out there, arming up for an all-out war and we're just -!"

"_Raphael…" _Leo said, a sharp tone in his voice only used as a warning that he was losing his patience, and quickly. "Sit. _Down_."

Raph was about to ignore that warning as per usual, but after sparing a quick glance at Donatello, who sat with his arms crossed and a pointed look on his face that practically screamed 'I'm not going to give a damn if you hurt yourself again you ass-hat', and then to Michelangelo who stared at him with big baby blue eyes filled with worry as he pressed his fingers together nervously, Raph finally allowed himself to be set back down on the futon with a huff, still refusing to lie down, but at least he was still. For the time being that is.

But he was still no less angry as he looked back up at Leo, "Listen bro, those guys carry some serious fire power, and this village is pretty much useless against them! They ain't got _nothing_ on Walkers' goons, or Norinaga's men; they'll be obliterated! And if you haven't noticed, there aren't many of us 'demons' to counter all that!"

"I know that, Raph!" Leo countered, folding his arms as he looked down at his lap, "I know we're seriously…and _hilariously_ outnumbered, but we've been up against worse than this before, even without Casey and April. We can work something out. We just need a plan to –"

"A plan might not work this time, Leo!" Raphael interrupted harshly, "They might not look it, but those guys can sneak up us pretty easily! Heck, even _I _couldn't sense them, but somehow _April _could! And look what they did to my arm!"

He gestured his right shoulder that was still covered in bandages, and even now, blood was still slightly seeping through it.

"If they could do this to _me, _imagine what would happen if hundreds of these guys came in and did the same to all these people!"

"And what's worse," Donnie breathed, looking down at his lap in wide eyed realization, "I doubt they'd be using darts this time…"

Leo let out a breath through his nose. They both had a point; the villagers were skilled with what they had, but up against guns and possible poisons, they were defenseless. How could Norinaga allow something so horrible to happen? Why would he imprison hundreds of innocent people, and threaten the lives of hundreds more, simply for the sake of riches? Of course, both he and Walker were working with The Shredder, but even so, even some of Shredders former goons had their morals; Danny and the other group of teenagers that had once followed under his command had been able to be reasoned with, thanks to Casey, and they had all eventually changed sides. But with Walkers' men? The chance of that happening again was nil.

Humans with gun power were always hard to reason with, that much Leo was sure of.

Leo closed his eyes and sighed, rubbing his temples. He looked up at his three younger brothers, who were all waiting for their leader's response. But for the first time in a while, he had none to give.

What could they possibly do? They didn't have the scepter, and there was no way on earth that they were going to give up April, or the power cell, but then how were they possibly going to defend the other hundreds of people against an army of guns?

Some heroes they were.

Leo sighed again, slowly standing up and folding his arms. "…its late guys," he announced, "we'll have to think up of something in the morning, but if not…then we might have to fight them off ourselves."

His younger brothers all looked up at him with wide eyes. Fight them off themselves? There was no way they would be able to win on their own, even with their ninja training, and Leo knew that better than any of them.

They would just have to hope that their leader would be able to think of something before it was too late.

"Mitsu and Kenshin said that they'll keep an eye out for any trouble…" Leo looked directly at Mikey, "...Leather Head stays _inside_ the hut this time," he warned.

Mikey shrugged and laughed sheepishly.

Leo then turned back to Raph, "and no one goes outside the gates of the village tonight. That goes especially for _you _Raphael. Got it?"

Raph rolled his eyes and groaned. "Whatever you say, mother," he droned.

Leo ignored the comment and instead beckoned for Mikey to follow him to get their futons and blankets from the other room. After giving Raph a short hug, which the older turtle grumbled about but didn't shrug off, he got up and left with Leo, leaving Raph and Donnie alone together as they shut the door behind them. Neither turtle said anything for the longest time, both of them simply sitting beside each other, lost within their own thoughts.

"…you're an idiot."

Raph blinked in surprise at the sound of Donnie's hard voice breaking the odd silence and he turned to his right to find his younger brother staring down at his lap with his arms folded over his plastron, his face a void of any emotion at all. Then he digested what Donnie had just said, and his signature scowl found its way on his face. "Say what?!" he barked, "you wanna run that by me again, you dork?!"

Donnie looked up at him at last, and an angry frown creased his face as he glared at Raph. "I'll say it again; You. Are. An _Idiot_," he growled slowly, his fists clenching in his folded arms. "Why do you have to go out and do things like that, huh? Why do you have to put yourself at risk _all the time_? Do you _want _to die, Raph?! Is _that _why you do this?!"

Raph stared at Donnie, his eyes wide and his teeth grounding together. "What the hell are you talking about, Donnie?! Of course I don't!" he barked, "If I hadn't done this –"

_"__You don't have to throw your own life away just to protect the rest of us!" _ Donnie seethed, his face itching closer to Raph's as he yelled, "Mikey and April can take care of themselves, and if not April, then Mikey will be there to help her! You didn't have to do this to yourself! You didn't have to give Splinter a heart attack trying to mix that stupid antidote! _You didn't have to put us all through the thought of almost losing you the same way again!" _

Raph's words died in his throat as he stared at Donnie, his expression softening. Donnie was huffing angrily, his breaths hissing through his clenched teeth, his whole body tensed up and his fists clenched so tight that his knuckles were turning white.

Also, Raph noticed the tears starting in his eyes.

"…Donnie…" Raph murmured quietly.

Donnie looked down again as he relaxed, this time staring at Raph's right hand. He bit his lip to stop the worst of his tears from slipping through. "…you scared us all, Raph," he muttered, slowly reaching out to grasp his older brothers', holding it as tight as he dared with both hands. "…it was almost like the last time…you were out cold…we had to carry you into the van and drive off to the farmhouse…Leo blaming himself over and over again for what happened…never thinking you'd wake up again…and even I was useless to you then as well..."

Raph stared at Donnie, listening to every word he said in stunned silence.

Donnie tightened his grip on Raph's hand, unable to stop the tears from rolling down his cheeks. "We thought we weren't gonna make it…we thought we were really gonna lose you this time, Raph…you have no idea…"

Raph looked down at Donnie's hand clutching his own. Now he understood. Back then, Raph had been in a similar situation as this, only ten times worse; he was practically comatose for three days, or at least that's what Leo said. His whole family had been a wreck, especially Leo and Mikey, who would have lost their minds if someone hadn't intervened. For whatever reason, Donnie hadn't been able to do anything to help him back then, and the same thing could have happened again today…all because Raph had once again been too stupid to think of other ways to save Mikey and April instead of throwing himself into harm's way again…

Raph gripped Donnie's hand, causing the younger one to look up at his brother. "Don," Raph said softly, "…I'm sorry. Really. I didn't mean for this to happen, or to worry you guys. But I can't guarantee that it won't happen again. I'll still protect you guys…"

He held up his hand with Donnie's hand held firmly in his grip.

"…no matter what."

Donnie stared at their hands held together like an unmovable stone, his lower lip beginning to tremble. "...I know, Raph," he said, his voice just above a whisper, "…but I just…I just wish that it didn't have to be like _this_…"

Without another word, Donnie was suddenly pulled into Raphael's chest, and held there by two very strong arms. He was frozen for a moment, but then he threw his arms around his brother, burying his face into the crook of his neck.

They stayed like that for what seemed like forever, but neither of them cared. They needed this now more than ever.

Donnie sniffed. "…I love you, you jerk."

Raph held him tighter. "…love you too, you dork."

From outside the room, Mikey and Leo had heard the entire argument. Leo had known that Donnie wanted to get something off of his chest with Raph, even though he said nothing to him beforehand. Leo simply understood Donnie more than Donnie had thought, or even cared to admit.

Mikey looked up at Leo. "…you gonna talk to them?" he whispered.

Leo shook his head with a smile. "No need. And we never saw or heard anything, understand?"

Mikey made a thumbs up at him with a wink. "Yes Kemosabe!"

Leo rolled his eyes and shook his head with a smile.

* * *

It was late in the night, and the mutant family had finally settled down into slumber. The boys and Leather Head once again shared the same room, only this time they stayed in their respective futons. Well, apart from Mikey that is, who shared his with Leather Head, but because it wasn't big enough for the both of them, Leather Head had decided to let Mikey sleep on him again, and use the futon as a blanket for the two of them.

Raph was in a deep sleep, snoring lightly as he nearly buried himself in his futon blankets. Donnie was on his far right nearest the wall, and Leo on the far left near the closed window, all of them completely sound as they slept, lost in their dreams.

Something creaked on the floorboards.

The ninjas didn't even budge an inch as someone tread silently over the sleeping bodies of the turtle brothers, their bare feet not even making a sound as they moved, drawing closer and closer to Raphael, who remained unaware of their presence, until they were standing right above him.

The shadowy figure looked at the other mutants sleeping around them, and after making sure that they were all still sound asleep, the figure slowly reached out his hand towards the red clad turtle…

…and tapped the turtle's nose.

"…Raph…Raph, wake up…"

Raph sniffed, feeling an unpleasant tapping on the bridge of his nose as he slowly opened his eyes. They widened to the size of dinner plates at the sight of Casey standing over him and grinning down at him.

"'Sup, bro?"

Raph jolted upwards, only to end up colliding foreheads with Casey. They both bit back cries of pain as they held their aching heads, with Casey rolling back onto the floor and squirming on his back as he bit hit bottom lip. Raph snapped his head up to look back at Casey on the floor, and he growled. "Dude!" he whispered harshly, not loud enough to wake his brothers but loud enough for Casey to hear him, "what the freaking heck are you doing?!"

This was the second time in the space of twenty four hours that the boy had managed to scare the living crap out of him, and he was just about ready to pummel him.

Casey rolled over to look at Raph, ignoring his slight death glare. "S-sorry, man," he whispered, his voice still strained with pain from his head-butt with the solid headed turtle, "but I need to show you something. It's outside."

Raph blinked in surprise, carefully rolling into a seated position as he shuffled on his knees closer to Casey, who did the same as he finally recovered. "Outside?" he asked, "Dude, we're not supposed to be out after dark. And besides, we'll get caught easily…plus, Leo would never let me hear the end of it…"

Casey frowned at him. "Dude, since when did you ever listen to Leo?" he argued silently, cocking his head towards where Leo slept soundly in his futon near the window. His face was calm, but Raph could tell that his dreams were probably anything but. Also, he still had both his katana lying beside him.

Raph let out a breath. Casey had a point; he never really did listen to Leonardo's orders, but that was only due to the fact that he never liked following orders to begin with. But Leo had specifically ordered him, not as his leader but as his worried older brother, to stay inside and rest. He understood his worry; he had gotten that much from Donnie, but he just couldn't stand to sit there any longer and twiddle his thumbs.

Also, the red clad turtle had been stuck inside his room all day, and longed for some action, or even just some fresh air.

He looked back up at Casey, who awaited his answer. If whatever Casey wanted to show him was enough to get him to wake him up in the middle of the night, then it had to be important.

"…where is it?" he asked at last.

Casey seemed pleased by this as his expression visibly lightened. "It's only a few houses away. Don't worry, it's not even outside the gates; we'll be fine, trust me," he whispered, "and besides…Leo never said anything about going outside, _inside _the gates, am I right?" he grinned.

Raph finally allowed himself to grin back at him as he nodded.

He looked left and right in case any of them had woken up during their hushed conversation, and he slowly got to his feet, with Casey followed after as Raph nodded. "Let's do this!" he whispered.

Casey nodded back, and together they tiptoed over the other turtles, _completely_ avoided Leather Head and escaped the room, silently sliding the door shut behind them. They hurried past April and Splinter's room and made it to the front of the hut, where Casey quickly put on his shoes and led Raph cautiously through the dirt paths, careful not to be heard or spotted, which Raph was especially good at, but Casey, not so much.

It was a few minutes of sneaking around undetected that Casey finally came to a stop in front of one of the huts that still had their light on. Casey waited for Raph to stand next to him before knocking on the door three times. Raph raised a brow up at his human friend. "Wait, what are we doing here? What did you wanna show me?" he asked.

Casey didn't look down at him. "You'll understand in a sec," was all he said before going silent again, which put Raph at bit on the edge.

The door finally opened to reveal the old man, Okina, peeking through, and only when he saw Casey and Raph did he open it all the way, greeting them with a warm smile. "Ah, my friends," he said with a bow, "thank you for coming so quickly."

Casey and Raph returned the bow (though Casey's was still slightly stiff). "Sorry we took a little longer than we expected," Casey said, "is he still awake?"

Okina's smile faded slightly as he nodded. "Yes…very much so…"

Now Raph was really confused. "Wait, what's going on here? Why are we here?" he asked.

Okina put a hand on his shoulder, beckoning the turtle inside as he stepped out with Casey. "It is about Yoshi," he said, to which Raph responded with wide eyes, "he had heard what had happened to you, and he is very worried. Go to him; we will give you two some time alone."

Raph looked over to Casey, who nodded and smiled as he dug into his pocket, taking out a small object and handing it to Raph; it was a rainbow colored Yoyo. "I forgot I had it in my bag the last time my little sister invaded my room," he said with a shrug, "she never really liked it in the first place, so give it to the little guy. It might cheer him up, y'know?" he said with a shrug.

Raph smiled back with a nod and entered the hut, sliding the door shut behind him. "Yoshi? You there buddy?" he called into the house, which seemed to be empty as he searched the rooms. He suddenly heard sniffling coming from one of the bedrooms, and he slid the door open and peeked inside to find the child sat up in his bed, rubbing a hand over his tearstained face.

Raph's shoulders slumped as he watched the boy. "Aw, Yoshi," he sighed, walking over to him and kneeling down beside him, "hey, hey, hey what's the matter little man? What's up with those tears?" he asked gently.

Yoshi sniffed as he turned his head away, seemingly ashamed of himself for crying in front of the turtle. "Nothing," he mumbled.

Raph only smiled. "Nothing, huh? Well, that's too bad," he said, "'cause if there _was _something bothering you, I got a little present here to cheer you up!" He then took out the Yoyo and began to sling it up and down by the string in front of Yoshi, who watched him with curiosity. "It's a Yoyo," he grinned, handing it over to him and placing it in his little hands, "it's yours, buddy. I probably should've given it to you tomorrow since it's so late, but things might get a little nuts or I might forget, y'know."

Yoshi looked down at his present, and then back up to Raph, looking at his bandaged shoulder. "…you got hurt today…"

Raph looked at his shoulder, and put a hand over the bandages with a frown. "Yeah…but it's no big deal, it'll heal up in no time, you'll see," he reassured.

"…but you're gonna have to fight Norinaga in the morning…"

Raph stopped short at that. How did he know about that? He thought he and his brothers were the only ones who knew about it, plus Kenshin and obviously Mitsu. The little one must have overheard them talking about it at some point, hadn't he? Well, there was no use in lying to him now. "…yeah…we might be…but don't worry, tomorrow afternoon, I'll teach some tricks, okay?" he said, trying to sound optimistic.

But Yoshi's eyes only filled with tears again as he held onto his new present tighter. "…but tomorrow you might die…" he said sadly, sniffling as the tears trickled down his face, "…I don't wanna lose you like I lost momma and papa…"

Raph's breath hitched as he stared down at the crying child. Yoshi truly cared about him that much? And now he was afraid to lose him the same way he lost his parents; to Walker and Norinaga. He knew how strong Raph truly was, but even that didn't quell the fear.

Raph's expression became firm as he put both hands on the boys' shoulders, looking him straight in the eyes. "Listen to me Yoshi," he said, "tomorrow morning, you and your buddies go out into the mountains, and you play, you understand? No matter what happens, you can't cry anymore. Your mom and dad wouldn't want you to cry, and neither do I. You hear me?"

Yoshi nodded and sniffed, before standing up and hugging Raphael, resting his head on the turtle's shoulder. "I can't let you die, Raphael-san," he whispered.

Raph wrapped his arms around the child, holding him close. "Don't worry, kid," he whispered back, "nobody's gonna die. We'll make sure of it."

He let go of Yoshi for a moment, and held his tiny hand in his and brought it up so that Yoshi could see. "…I'm gonna tell you the same thing I told my brother Donnie, kid; I get hurt a lot, and don't want to worry you. But I can't guarantee that it won't happen again. I'll still protect you…no matter what…"

And he would. There were too many lives at stake now. And worse, he had already worried too many people today. He wouldn't make the same mistake again. This time, he really had to come back.

For his brothers, and for little Yoshi.


	19. Chapter 19: Discovery

**A/N: Hey! Here we are with chapter 19!**

**This took longer than I thought it would! Also a big WARNING for those of you who understand Japanese, there is a bad word in there that translates (I think) into 'son of a 6%$£", so yeah...**

**I OWN NOTHING!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 19: Discovery**

The moment Leonardo opened his eyes, he knew that something was wrong. It was still dark outside, aside from the moon shining in the sky and through the window, and he could hear the snoring of his brothers and low grumbled breaths of Leather Head as they slept around him, but still, his senses told him that something was amiss.

Slowly, he sat up in his futon, his dark blue eyes scanning the room for anything out of place or anything that was missing…

And his eyes immediately closed in on the two empty beds, where Raphael and Casey Jones were _supposed_ to be.

He groaned and slapped a hand against his forehead in agitation. Seriously? They _both _went out, after he specifically ordered them to stay inside at all times? Though really, he shouldn't have been surprised at all, considering that they were both rule breaking, trouble making ruffians that loved nothing more than a good fight…and flipping Leonardo off as well it seemed.

Well, it only made sense that the blue clad turtle was going to have to go out and find them himself, before they caused any more trouble. Also, he couldn't let Master Splinter find out about all three of them sneaking off like this in the middle of the night.

Truth be told, it wasn't _entirely _his decision to keep them all inside, but Leo hardly ever did anything without his fathers' guidance, and if he thought that they would be safer inside for the night, then that's what Leo would make sure of.

And yet again, he had failed to keep his brother under his watch. With both of them on the loose, there was no telling on what would happen.

With a sigh, Leo took off the covers of his blanket, sheathed his swords into their scabbards on his shell and silently made his way out of the room, closing the door behind him. He stayed within the shadows as he tried not to be spotted or heard by anyone, almost reaching the front doors and feeling rather proud of himself…

…only to turn around again and collide with a solid but slightly furred chest, letting out a muffled "_ooff!_" as he did. He drew back, rubbing his tingling face, only for his eyes to widen as he looked up to find Master Splinter staring down at him, his hands clasped behind his back as he regarded his eldest son with a quirked furry brow, one that didn't look too pleased. How long had he been awake?

Better yet, how long had he been watching Leonardo jump from shadow to shadow thinking he had been unseen? The thought was slightly embarrassing.

Leo shifted his eyes towards the front door.

Splinter raised his brow higher.

Leo's shoulders sagged as he gave Splinter a pleading look.

Splinter folded his arms over his chest with a frown.

Leo turned to look and gesture their bedroom, and then back towards the door.

Splinter looked at the door, and then back down at his pupil.

Leo folded his arms and gave him 'the look.'

Splinter's eyes widened slightly, and then he gave Leo a nod of understanding, which was returned with a nod from his son with a flat look on his face.

He moved out of the way and opened the door for Leo to exit. Leo smiled up at his father. "Thanks for understanding, Sensei," he said with a short bow.

Splinter smiled back. "Say no more, my son," he replied simply.

* * *

"Yoshi, dude, you can't be dragging me down here right now, you should go back to bed!" Raphael insisted with a slight frustrated hiss, but not exactly resisting as the child dragged him by the hand down into dark the basement of his hut, which surprised him since the house was so small, but the basement itself was quite large. The basement was filled with piles of wrapped up food supplies and boxes of clothes, probably carried here just after the evacuation from their real village at the last minute.

Raph whistled. "Whoa. This place is pretty full, huh Yoshi?" he said, then shook his head to get back on track, "but seriously, this isn't playtime! Listen, your sister will kill me if she finds me down here with you still wide awake! Better yet, she'll kill me just for being here!"

Yoshi continued to ignore him as he dragged him purposefully by the hand through the piles of clothes and food until they were at the very back of the basement, where he finally let go of his hand and began to dig through piles of blankets and bags. Raph stood there behind him with his arms folded as he watched him, and when the boy finally turned around with the object in his hands, the mutant terrapins' eyes widened to the size of saucers and his mouth fell agape.

He and his brothers had never actually seen it themselves, but from how Robyn had described it to them, there was no mistaking it.

In the hands of the child, presented to him as if it were a fine gift, was the Sacred Scepter itself, completely intact and flawless; not a single piece was missing.

Yoshi grinned up at him, taking glee out of his flabbergasted expression. "If you give this to Norinaga, then you won't have to fight, and you won't die!" he piped up with a smile that shone like the sun.

He placed the scepter in Raph's numb hands as he stared down at the object in his grip, his eyes wide and unbelieving.

And then suddenly, everything came into place like a puzzle, and his gaze hardened in angry realization. The way Mitsu was acting that afternoon…the reason why they had to search hours and hours in the forest for something that was never there in the first place…was all because she had hidden it inside her own house.

Which could only mean one thing…

Only one thought came to mind and slipped through his lips as a low growl.

"…son of a snapper…"

* * *

"So, you have big dreams, do you not, Casey Jones?" asked Okina as he and the young vigilante sat together just outside the hut as they waited for Raph to reappear. The young boy and the older man had talked for a while on their interests and ambitions, but for Okina, it was much more enjoyable to listen to the youngers' tales of being a vigilante in the great big city of New York, side by side with his best friend Raphael. Listening to the hopes and dreams of the younger generation gave the old man, who had already lived what he had deemed a full and happy life, great happiness and hope for the what the future held for young ones like him.

Casey nodded at his question eagerly, "Yeah! But right now, I'm happy with just hanging out with the turtles and April…It's weird, though," he mused, leaning forward to rest his elbows on his knees as he gazed up at the moon hanging over the sleeping village, smiling to himself, "I never thought I'd get involved in something like this; it's huge. I mean, four giant talking ninja turtles with their rat master? You can't make this kind of stuff up!"

Okina chuckled at him, "I'm sure you could not, that much I am certain of…but aren't you forgetting something, Jones?"

Casey blinked once and quirked a brow as he looked back at the old man. "Huh? What do you mean?" he asked.

Okina smiled at him. "I am not saying that you must give up everything in order to do what you love and think is right," he explained, "but you must not forget the other people that need you more than the other millions that do not even know you…do you understand me?"

Casey looked down, creasing his brows and biting his lip in thought. Then like a light bulb in the dark, it finally clicked, and he raised his head with a small gasp of realization. "You mean my dad and my little sister, right?" he answered.

Okina nodded. "Yes. Do you not think they are wondering where you are right now? That they are very worried about you?"

Casey looked back down at his feet, twiddling his thumbs together. "Well…I told my dad I was gonna be away for a few days…that should be okay, right?"

"But does he know _where _you are?"

Casey didn't respond.

Okina took that as a 'no' and proceeded to nod in understanding, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "You will have, without a doubt, many adventures to come with Raphael and his family," he said, looking back up at the moon, "but you must not forget, that you have family too, a family that will surely miss you, and grieve for you, should anything ever happen to you. You chose to face these enemies, but as you face these threats…do not forget _them_. Keep them safe…right _here_."

He put a finger to Casey's chest, where his heart was. Casey looked down at it, and then back up at the old man, a smile tugging on his lips as he nodded. Now he knew what it really felt like to have that kind of guidance that Splinter always gave the turtles whenever they were in doubt. Raphael always treated it like a dumb lecture, but he knew his best friend better than that; he really did learn from the things Splinter told him.

Okina did have a point, and a very strong one at that. One of the reasons that he became the vigilante he was now was because of what was going on in the city at that time; there was nothing but crime and meaningless violence everywhere they looked. How long would it have been before those thugs hurt someone close to him, like his father or little sister? He had already lost his mother…

All his life, Casey knew he was meant for something great. But little did he know that as soon as he donned the hockey mask and the vigilante name, and had met Raphael in the park that fateful night, that he was going to be a part of something _greater. _

But even so, no matter where he went, and no matter what happened, he couldn't forget the ones who really needed him; his family. Just like Raph and his family needed him.

He looked down at his hand, and he clenched it into a tight, determined fist. "I will. You can guarantee it," he declared.

Okina nodded back with a warm smile. "Good. I just hope you always remember it after he gives you a beating."

Casey's smile fell instantly. "Wait, what? Who?"

"**_Me_**_._"

Suddenly a large, somewhat bulky figure landed in front of them in a low crouch, making Casey jump a mile and wishing that he had brought his tazer along with him at least. But as the mysterious figure stepped out into the light of the moon, Casey realized with a nervous gulp that it was Leonardo, looking very testy as he folded his arms and narrowed his eyes at the boy.

Now he _really _wished he had brought his tazer.

Despite the boy's obvious distress, Okina smiled up at the blue clad turtle with a short bow. "You must be Leonardo-san," he greeted, "your father has told me so much about you. It is good to finally meet you face to face."

Leo unfolded his arms and bowed respectfully at the old man. "_Hajimemashite, Okina-san, _It's good to meet you too,_" _he greeted back with a smile, and after sparing another heated glare at Casey, he said, "_kono_ _tame shazai, karera ha nini no mondai wo hikiokosu ka_?"

Casey stared at him in utter confusion, for he had no understanding of Japanese apart from the basic terms and phrases that Raph used around him, one of them being the word 'baka', meaning stupid. Okina chuckled however, and in English replied, "No, no Leonardo-san, they were no trouble at all…so do not be too hard on them."

Leo nodded at him with a kind smile. "…_Raphael ha doko desu ka?"_

_Where is Raphael? _

Okina tilted his head to the door behind them. "_Yoshi to soko ni," _he grinned.

_Inside with Yoshi._

After Leo bowed again gratitude, and glaring one last time at Casey, he strode into the hut in search for his younger rebellious brother, eager and ready to give him a big chewing out and a possible kick in the face for not following his orders…_again_.

Casey looked to Okina, his face going ever so slightly pale. "I'm gonna die tonight, aren't I?"

Okina shrugged, still wearing that grin of his. "Maybe."

Inside the house, Leo looked through every room in search for his turtle brother, but to his surprise, he found no trace of him. He was a giant mutant turtle; he shouldn't be this hard to find…

His eyes fell upon an open door that led to the lower part of the house, and after squaring his shoulders angrily, and then remembering himself and taking in a deep calming breath, he made his way down into the basement, walking slowly and purposefully down the stairs and into the dark room filled with clothes and food supplies. At the very back of the dark room, he finally spotted his brother and the little boy hunched over an object in Yoshi's hands. He was about to announce his presence to them both, but then Yoshi unwrapped the object…and the words he had intended to say to him died immediately.

His eyes widened and his jaw fell open. It was the Scepter. The scepter that they had gone through hours of searching the forest for…the scepter that Raph had almost died for going out to look for.

"…**_mesuno musko_**…" Leo growled as his eyes narrowed dangerously and his fists clenched. He was never the one to use such language, but anger for once got the better of him.

It was here the whole time. In _Mitsu's _basement. 

Raph and Yoshi's heads snapped around at the use of a growled curse word, and Raph's eyes widened to find his older brother looking as if he were about to kill someone. He gulped. "Uh…hi Leo…" he smiled nervously with a little wave of his hand.

Leo's glare only hardened as he ground his teeth together.

It was then that Raph realized that he wasn't actually looking at him, but rather looking at the scepter he was holding, and then at the bandages around his arm. He looked down at it, and then back at Leo, once again putting the pieces together as his eyes widened.

"Raphael…we're going back. We have to talk to his sister. **_Now." _**he growled evenly, scaring Yoshi slightly as he hid behind the large red clad turtle.

Even Raph flinched slightly at his older brothers' tone. Not only was he in trouble, but so was a certain black haired archer.

"…_mesuno musko…"_

* * *

"GUYS, GUYS GET UP!"

Donatello, Michelangelo and Leather Head were rudely awoken by the lights of their room suddenly flashing on and the sound of urgent yelling. Though they were all quick to get out of their beds (albeit with a bit of disorientated stumbling) they couldn't hold back the slight groans and yawns of protest as Leonardo, Raphael and Casey entered the room.

Mikey yawned and stretched his stiffened limbs. "_Guyyyyyyys,"_ he whined next to Leather Head and Donnie, who's eyes began to widen as he caught glimpse of what Raph was holding, rubbing his tired eyes with the back of his hand, "it's, like, three in the morning. Why're you guys –?"

"Oh my _god_!" Donnie cried as he hurried over to Raph and took the object out of his hands, marveling at it as he turned it over and over in his green palms, "I don't believe it! It's the scepter! You guys found it!"

Leather Head's eyes snapped wide open as he looked at Donnie, who held the very thing that he had sworn to hide and protect…

The scepter. It was _here_.

He couldn't restrain it any longer as his eyes regained the blank rage w=once more, and before he or anyone else could stop him, he suddenly lashed out. **_"THIEF!" _**he hollered, grabbing once again onto Donnie's face.

"_Aw, COME ON!" _Donnie cried as he was lifted off his feet again, the scepter dropping into Casey's hands as Leather Head roared. The others around him prepared themselves for another brawl, apart from poor Donatello, who struggled in the gators' grip. "_This is NOT my day!" _he exclaimed.

"**_STOP!"_**

All came to a halt as they all turned to find an angry Master Splinter stood at the door, with a very stupefied April behind him. Splinter's eyes narrowed as he glared at Leather Head holding his son captive once again. "Release my son! **_Now!" _**

Leather Head blinked, his eyes reverting, and he looked at his hand to find that he had once again grabbed the purple clad turtle by the face…_again._

"Oh…my apologies, Donatello," he said, placing Donnie back on his feet, "I was still half asleep, and I merely thought you had stolen the scepter."

Donnie rubbed his aching face with both hands and simply nodded.

Splinter nodded at the gator, and stepped over to where Casey and Raph stood side by side, cowering slightly under his hard gaze. They were so dead.

But then his gaze wandered down to the scepter in Casey's hands. "…I see that you little 'escapade' was not entirely pointless after all," he said, earning a half-hearted shrug from the pair before he turned back to Leonardo, who had his arms folded over his chest crossly as he stared at the scepter. Splinter also noted that he was looking as if he were about to start yelling, but for once, it was not at Raphael. "Where did they find this?" he asked his oldest son.

Leo looked up at his father his frown deepening. "…it was in Mitsu's basement this whole time, Sensei," he replied, earning small gasps from the others as they looked at their leader in surprise.

"Really?!" Donnie gaped, "But how?"

Leo turned to Donnie, his frown remaining. "Simple…she _lied _to us."

* * *

**A/N: Uh oh, looks like we've got ourselves a problem. **

**BTW, if anyone can spot the hidden foreshadowing, then they get a special chapter dedicated for them! YAYS! **

**Until next time!**


	20. Chapter 20: Another Grave Loss

**Chapter 20: Another Grave Loss**

To say that Mitsu and Kenshin were stunned to be suddenly approached by four, livid faced mutant turtles out of nowhere from where they stood on look out at the edge of the village in the dark would be an understatement; she had almost shot Leonardo in the face with her arrow where he stood with his arms crossed over his chest and a fowl look on his face, but he was totally unfazed be her actions.

She huffed slightly in mild annoyance and slight relief as she sheathed her bow again and folded her arms over her chest. "What is it that you want at this hour, kappa?" she asked, though her tone was snappy. Kenshin put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down; she had been testy all morning, and he was starting to wonder why.

The turtles all seemed to glare directly into her very being as Michelangelo stepped forward with an object wrapped in an old blanket in his hands. "Look what we found," he said evenly, his voice unusually flat for such a jubilant turtle as he unwrapped the object.

Mitsu's eyes went wide, and Kenshin gasped sharply behind her as they saw that Michelangelo was holding the sacred Scepter. Her shocked eyes looked back up from the scepter to the stone faced turtles.

"Where…where did you find this?" she breathed, her fingers twitching nervously at her sides, which they all noticed this time.

Raphael let out a low feral growl at her. "Yoshi found it…hidden in _your _basement, missy!" he hissed, taking a threatening step towards her as if to hit her, but Donatello held him back with a firm grip on his good shoulder, shaking his head.

Kenshin darted his gaze to Mitsu, his eyes wide and full of confusion, which soon turned to hurt. "What? What does this mean…?" he stammered.

Could it be…?

Instead of answering her question, Leonardo turned on his heel, cocking his head towards the hut and beckoning for the two humans to follow them. "We can't talk out here…we'll discuss this further once we're indoors," he said, and with a nod, his brothers followed him.

As Kenshin followed on ahead, Mikey spared a glance behind him at Mitsu, his baby blue eyes that were usually full of love, wonder and laughter, were quite cold and distant and full of betrayal.

The young woman only stared back at him, her expression unreadable, but she could read him clearly. Though his face was saying 'you betrayed us', his eyes were saying something different…

…though they were hard, they were almost pleading, as if they were saying 'why?'

"Mikey, keep it moving!" Leo called from the front.

After a silent moment, Mikey continued forwards, keeping his eyes on her for a moment longer before turning away again, walking after his brothers as they stepped into their hut, with Mitsu silently trailing behind. Donatello stepped out of the way to allow her through the door first, his reddish brown eyes flat and aloof as he watched her. He then looked left and right in case anyone else was present or watching, and only after he found none did he shut the door behind him.

They had all been completely unaware that as they left the edge of the village, several shadows had seen and heard it all…

* * *

"I don't _believe_ this!" April exclaimed crossly as she faced and pointed an accusing finger at Mitsu, "You had the scepter in your house the _whole time_?!"

They had all come together in the boy's larger bedroom to 'interrogate' Mitsu on the matter, bringing Aunt Robyn, Kenshin and Splinter along as well so that they could hear whatever explanation or excuse the woman in question would give them. Splinter had ordered his four sons to stay back, for he could sense their urge to attack her out of anger, so they all simply leaned against the wall as they watched her with unmoving eyes, with Michelangelo sitting next to Leather Head, calmly stroking his snout to hold him back as his larger friend glared hotly at the human archer, growling lowly.

Mitsu stood in the center of them all, her posture firm and straight as she regarded the angered red headed girl coolly. "Yes. I did have it," she explained, "but understand that I am not a traitor."

"Oh yeah?" Casey Jones barked, "Then what _are_ you exactly? Keeping something from us that could kinda save or destroy your own village doesn't sound like something someone who's on our side would do."

"Also," Robyn interjected firmly, her face twisted into a scowl and her fists clenching at her side, "my niece and I could have been _killed_ because of that thing. I _swear, _if you have anything to do with this, if you're here to hurt my baby as well I'll–"

"Calm yourself, Miss O'Neil," Master Splinter cautioned, putting a hand on the woman's shoulder to still her, which worked after a moment as she took in a deep breath and stepped back.

The events of the past few days had scared Robyn O'Neil beyond reason. After her mother's death, Robyn was the only person April had close to a mother figure in her life, and she had cherished that position, and kept April and Kirby close to her heart. It had come to the point now where Robyn thought of the young girl as her own daughter, and so when they had been separated after that ambush that night, she feared the absolute worst, nearly losing her mind over the thought of what those men would do to her precious girl, all because of that god-forsaken scepter.

And only learning that the person who was supposed to help them could possibly be working with Walker, only added fuel to her slowly growing fire.

As far as she was concerned, April was _her _baby. And anyone who would dare try to hurt her again would face her wrath.

"That's not the only thing though," Donnie added, "you do realize that you almost let Raphael, our _brother_, die because he had to _help you __**find**__ it_! Do you realize what you could have _done_?!"

"That's _enough_, Donatello!" Leonardo snapped, holding Donnie back by the arm as his taller younger brother snapped his head around to glare at him.

"What're you talking about, Leo?!" he snapped harshly at his older brother, his temper boiling, "_She's_ the reason why we've been stuck here out searching for god knows how long for that thing, and she almost got April, Mikey and Raph –!"

"Donatello, you _will _listen to your brother," Splinter warned, eyeing his son with a hard gaze, "it is true that she has deceived us, however before we pass judgment, we must first listen to what she has to say."

Donnie's shoulders sagged as he released a breath, stepping back to lean against the wall again, crossing his arms as he waited for Mitsu to elaborate, which after seeing that the kappa had calmed down enough, she finally did so.

"It was three days ago, when I was on my patrol through the forest alone," she explained, "I had come across a campsite of Walkers' men, and I saw Robyn unconscious in the cage they had put her inside, like an animal. And sitting unguarded next to one of the drunkards, I saw the scepter. I knew of the legends and properties it had, so I had taken it, knowing that if it was in my possession, the land would be ours again…"

A sad frown came over her features as she glanced at the mutants around her, "…Then you and your brothers arrived, and then Walker began to take an interest in you, as well as the scepter. I knew that Walker would want to eventually capture you all and use you for his own purposes…you would have been in more danger than you were when you first came into my village...I did no mean to deceive you all, but I could not let that Monster Norinaga take it…he would destroy us all."

The others in the room shared a confused glance at each other. So, she _wasn't_ trying to deceive them, but she was trying to _protect_ them all?

Still unconvinced, Raph scoffed. "Well, we know that, but that doesn't answer our question on why you didn't tell us," he probed further, still eyeing her with distrust.

Donnie had finally calmed down throughout her explanation, and a thoughtful frown appeared on his face as he looked up at Mitsu. "Mitsu...There's another reason isn't there…?" he mused.

"Mitsu..." Splinter said calmly, placing a hand on Raphael's shoulder, the one that had been injured during the attack, "Please tell us."

Mitsu sighed once, and then looked back up at the mutants. "…Part of me was not sure if I could trust you...but over the time you all have stayed here, you all have shown courage and honor, and so my trust grew...but still, I refused to put you all in grave danger…so instead, I was going to hold onto the scepter so I could return it to Kenshin's ancestor's burial site, where it truly belonged. Also, I wanted to keep Norinaga's men at bay for as long as I could, wanting for them to look for it as well, making them think we had hidden it somewhere. Unfortunately, that meant keeping you all from knowing...no offense, but some of you tend to...have a big mouth..." she admitted.

Raph actually cracked a grin at that. "Well, you got _that_ right, sister," he chortled, earning a chorus of "**_Hey!_**" from Casey, Donnie and Mikey. Leo only rolled his eyes.

Mitsu bowed her head in shame. "I just couldn't let them know it was here...I am sorry my friends...it was the only way."

Her expression turned firm as he clenched her fist tightly in determination. "I _will _regain and protect my home, even at the cost of my own life, and by myself if I must…" she declared.

It was then that a large shadow fell upon her, and she looked up to find that Leather Head was standing over her, looking down at her with dark eyes full of understanding. He raised a clawed, webbed hand and rested it on her head, patting it softly, much to her surprise as she gazed up at him in confusion. He smiled softly at her. "We understand…and I am grateful that you would return it to where my dear friend was laid to rest so long ago…but you do not have to do all of this by yourself, young one," he said.

"Leather Head's right," Mikey said as he walked over to Mitsu, taking her hands in his as his young bright smile returned to him, "we're here to help! That's the reason we came down here in the first place! After all, what's a kappa good for if they can't even help a village? Am I right?"

Mitsu gazed at all who surrounded her, no longer glaring at her, (well, apart from Raphael who remained neutral) but they were all smiling in understanding, and nodding their heads in agreement to what Mikey had said, which was rare for them at least. She looked to Kenshin standing next to her, and he gave her a warm, loving smile, in gratitude to what her true intentions were with the scepter, and also in understanding of her determination to save her home.

She finally smiled back and nodded. "Yes, Michelangelo," she said, tears threatening to spill from her eyes that were now full of relief and a rekindled hope, "you are right. Thank you all."

Suddenly, the new restored peace was shattered when a loud scream was heard coming from outside, and they spun around towards the door.

Raph and Mitsu's eyes widened. That was a child's scream. "**_YOSHI!" _**they both cried.

The turtles all immediately ran out of the room, followed closely by Splinter, April and Casey, with Leather Head keeping Robyn and Kenshin behind for their own safety as they flooded out of the hut, only to find themselves face to face with the three men who had kept April captive earlier, all of them on horses and armed with guns, and one of them with Yoshi held with a knife to his throat, trembling in fear as tears rolled down his face.

The turtles drew out their weapons as they glared up at the men. "You let him go! **_Now!_**" Mitsu snarled as she aimed her bow.

The one that April had named 'Potbelly' only laughed. "Sorry mates, but you have something we want, and we want it now! You have the mineral yet?!" he barked.

"Even if we did, we wouldn't hand it over to you!" Raph growled, seething in fury as he spun his Sai threateningly and pointing their tips towards them, "So you better let him go now, or walk out of this inside a sandwich bag!"

Potbelly chuckled darkly, pressing the edge of the knife closer to Yoshi's neck. "Sorry! No mineral, no trade! How's about you come to Norinaga's place with the scepter, the noble son and the girl before midnight tomorrow night, or little the kiddie here gets it! And then we have ourselves a _war_!"

Yoshi whimpered in the man's grip. "Mitsu…Raphael-san…help," he quivered, making Raph's anger boil and Mitsu's heart race in fear.

It was then that Okina suddenly appeared after hearing all the commotion, as well as most of the villagers, rushing past the turtles and gasping in shock at the sight. "Yoshi!" he cried, running over to the men who held his grandson captive, waving his cane in the air angrily, "you will release him, **_now_**!" he demanded.

"Okina-san, you must come back!" Splinter called out to his elderly friend, but he took no heed as he continued to whack at the thug's head with his staff.

Leonardo noticed that the one holding Yoshi was loading up his gun.

His eyes widened as Leo reached out an arm to stop him, but he was too late. "Okina-san, **_no_**!" he called, "Don't get too close -!"

But before anyone could stop the old man, a loud bang shattered the air in the stillness of the night.

The mutants' eyes were wide and their jaws agape in horror, unable to move as they watched the old man stumble backwards, his trembling hands hovering over the bloodied patch on his chest.

"**_OJIICHAN!" _**Mitsu shrieked as her grandfather fell onto his knees and the collapsed on the ground, his blood pooling around him. The turtles, Splinter, Casey and April immediately ran to his aid, kneeling beside him and quickly but carefully turning him over onto his back, calling out to him in panic as Donnie pressed his hands down on his chest, trying to stop the bleeding, but it only continued to pump out of the wound as he struggled to breathe.

"Okina, you must stay with us! Stay awake!" Splinter cried, holding the elderly man's hand tight as Donnie continued to apply pressure, and his angered gaze met the smug, heartless smirk of the thug as he snarled through his fangs.

They had dared to harm his friend, and threaten the life of a child. They would pay dearly for that.

Mitsu snapped her livid gaze up at the thug who had shot her grandfather. "_HOW DARE YOU?! YOU __**MONSTER**__!" _she screeched in rage, tears dripping down her face as the thug only laughed at them all.

"See? _That_ was a warning! You don't show up, the same happens to the lad as well!" he hollered, and with a wailing little boy in his arms, the three of them rode out of the village, brutally pushing past all who tried to stop them as they galloped away into the night.

Raph's breaths came out in ragged hisses through his grinding teeth as he watched them escape, taking the little boy that he had come to see as another little brother with them. He was about ready to charge after them, when he remembered.

Okina was shot. That boy's only father figure was dying.

He needed help, or Yoshi would lose him forever.

Despite the overwhelming urge to go after him, Raph hurried back to Okina's side, helping his brothers and Sensei carefully carry him inside. Yoshi would have to wait a little longer; there was no way that even Norinaga would let them kill a child, was there? And they had a whole day before they were supposed to bring what they demanded.

He had to hope that he would be safe, just until they could revive his grandfather and think of a plan to get him out of there before it was too late.

* * *

Hands clasped behind his back, Raphael paced the floor impatiently by the door, waiting outside their room as they waited for Donatello and Splinter to give them the news. It was now early in the morning, and it had been hours since they had brought the bleeding old man inside, and after ushering everyone else out, Donatello and Splinter quickly set to work on trying to save him.

Leonardo was sat next to Michelangelo, holding him close with an arm around his shoulders as Mikey silently quivered in fear, with Leather Head lying behind them with his body curled around them protectively. Mitsu covered her face with her hands as she leaned heavily on Kenshin, who had both arms wrapped around her as he held her close.

Casey Jones was leaned against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched Raph pace the floor, his foot tapping the ground periodically in worried agitation. He looked down to his left at where April and Robyn sat, the young teenager burying her face into her aunt's chest as she held her.

Leonardo looked up from Mikey and glanced at his family and friends, all of them tense and afraid, and he let out a quiet breath through his nose. This was a nightmare. They had taken Yoshi, a _child_, and threatened to end his short life whilst also endangering the life of his grandfather, the only parental figure besides his older sister that he had left.

If Okina died that morning, it would destroy him completely…

Finally, the door slowly slid open, and Donatello stepped out to meet the expectant and worried gazes of his friends and family as they all lifted their heads up at him. His hands were covered in blood, causing Mikey to look away in fright, though Donnie tried his best to wipe it off with the cloth that he had.

Raphael approached his taller brother. "Well?" he asked.

The others held their breath as they waited for the purple clad turtle's reply.

Donnie bit his lip as he looked down at Raphael. He drew in a deep breath, and finally he said…

"…I'm sorry…Okina won't make it."

The room filled with gasps of horror.

Donnie closed his eyes and grit his teeth together to stop the tears from flowing, clenching the cloth tighter in his hands. "I-I'm so sorry…t-there's nothing we can do; the bullet was far too close to a vital area, and it was just too much for his body to handle…I'm sorry…but Okina only has a few minutes left…"

Mitsu immediately rushed into the room, crying out to her grandfather as she sat down beside him where he lay on the bloodstained futon. Master Splinter sat on the opposite side, his hands folded on his lap as he lowered his head.

The others quickly flooded the room as well, all apart from Leather Head. He had seen enough death in his lifetime, and did not wish to see any more. Mikey understood as he cast him a quick glance and a nod of reassurance, before following his brothers into the room and sitting next to Splinter, who put an arm around his shoulder.

Mitsu put her hand over Okina's cheek, tears dripping down her own as she whispered, "_Ojiichan_, please, please don't leave us…" she begged, though she knew in her heart that it was futile.

Mikey's hand was trembling on his lap as he stared down wide eyed at the old man, and he clenched it into a fist as he grit his teeth together. He had never seen real death before; only in movies and TV, but at least then he knew that none of it was real…this however, was not make believe…he was really going to die, and there was not a thing he could do to stop it or make it better…absolutely _nothing_.

Okina slowly blinked awake, his now weak and weary eyes looking up at the ones who surrounded him, all of them teary eyed as they gazed down at him. He lifted a trembling hand, and Mitsu held it tightly in hers. "…please…my friends…" he struggled to say, "…please, save my little Yoshi…protect my Mitsu after I am gone…save our village…"

Tears threatening to spill over, Leonardo took Okina's other hand, holding it firmly as he nodded. "We swear, Okina-san," he said, his voice wavering, "we promise to bring Yoshi home alive. We'll protect your village…"

Okina smiled up at them all weakly, before gently taking his hand back from Leo's, and held it to Casey. "Casey…Splinter-san…come closer…" he asked. Splinter and Casey obeyed, and Okina regarded them both with fondness. Out of all of these strange but loving people that he had met, it was these two whom he had come to know truly well, and pass on whatever wisdom he could to them.

He looked to Splinter, "…remember what I have told you, Yoshi-san…" he said, "remember…to lean on them…as well…"

Splinter bowed his head. "I will not forget, my friend," he said, his heart aching inside. He never wanted to see another innocent soul perish by the merciless hands of man, and yet here the old man lay, dying before their very eyes…he deserved so much better than this…

Okina then turned to Casey, putting his finger to his chest and pressing it as firmly as he could. "…remember…they need you…"

Casey's lip trembled as he held Okina's hand in his own, squeezing as tight as he dared as he nodded. "I know…I will…" he whispered back as he nodded.

Okina smiled and nodded back, and then laid his head back to gaze at all of them. "…Mitsu…Kenshin…live on…and tell Yoshi…that I am sorry…I love you all…and my friends…thank you all…so much…"

Okina's hand slipped out of Casey's grip, and landed softly on the futon as he took a final breath and closed his eyes. Then his chest became still.

Their eyes widened as they stared down at the now lifeless body of Okina.

Casey covered his mouth with his hand as he turned away, tears pouring down his cheeks. April buried her face into her aunts' chest and cried as Robyn held her close, quietly shedding tears of her own. Mikey did the same to Master Splinter as his father wrapped his arms tightly around him, stroking the back of his youngest son's head, who had never seen real death before in his short life.

Raph and Leo turned away, gritting their teeth as hard as they could to keep the worst of their tears at bay, but they couldn't stop the stray ones from falling.

Unable to take anymore, Mitsu ran straight out of the room, sobbing as she covered her face with her hands. "Mitsu!" Kenshin called, getting to run after her, but Donnie quickly put his arm out to stop him, never averting his eyes from the old man's body as tears rolled down his face.

"…don't…give her some space…" he said, his wavering voice just above a whisper.

Kenshin looked down at the floor in defeat, standing by silently as the others cried and mourned for the loss of the Okina.

Raph suddenly snarled, clenching his fist until his knuckles turned white, tears dripping down his face as he stood up and stomped out of the room. Leo turned and watched him in shock as his brother left, but he didn't go after him.

He didn't know why, but something told him, for once, not to go after his younger brother.

Raph swung the door and ran out of the village, not stopping until he reached the forest, where he immediately began punching at the trees, not caring if he cut himself or even knocked the tree down. His rage had almost reached its highest point, and he just couldn't restrain it. He just needed to hit something, he wanted to _hurt_ someone…he needed to avenge Yoshi's grandfather…

He finally stopped punching the tree, instead putting his forehead against it and letting the tears fall as he squeezed his eyes shut, ignoring the stinging pain of his bloodied, splintered fist.

This couldn't happen. This can't be happening. How could they? How _dare _they take him away from Yoshi and Mitsu? How **_dare _**they ruin their lives any more than they already had after taking his parents away?!

When Yoshi found out about what had happened, it would ruin any chance of that poor boy or the young woman from having a happy life…

What had they ever done to deserve this? All they ever wanted was to live a happy and peaceful life, couldn't they have even that?

He heard muffled sobbing deeper in the bushes, and his head snapped up in surprise. Wiping the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand, he trekked through the bushes, pushing them apart to find Mitsu hunched over on her knees with her face buried in her hands. She looked up and turned around with tear stained cheeks to find the red masked turtle gazing down at her with emerald eyes.

They stayed there, staring at one another for the longest time in complete silence. Then without uttering a single word, Raph suddenly crossed the distance between them, slowly got down on his knees, and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close as he stroked the back of her head softly. He would have never normally do this; he never showed affection very well, but he knew how much it hurt to lose someone close to him…she needed this now more than ever, and for once, he was willing to give it.

Her eyes widened as she was pulled into his embrace, though she made no move to resist against it. Finally, she crumbled again, clutching the turtle back as she sobbed into his shoulder, her shoulders shaking as the sobs wracked her body.

Raph continued to hold her close, not saying a single word as he simply let her cry, letting tears slip down his own cheeks.

His green eyes glared down at the ground, blazing with unequalled fury as he grit his teeth.

He swore that he would make them pay for what they had done. He would avenge all of their deaths.

At _any_ cost.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter was hard to write because I kept tearing up. Credit goes to SMDKFan on DeviantArt for helping me with this chapter.**

**So with this great loss, what will the Turtles do now? Keep reading to find out.**


	21. Chapter 21: Dawning Hope

**A/N: I apologize for the sad chapter before, and for the late update! But here we are with chapter 21! this one is less sad.**

**I OWN NOTHING!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 21: Dawning Hope**

Mitsu requested for them not to have a large ceremony for the burial of Okina, but to simply lay him to rest within the forest, surrounded by her, Kenshin and the many strange but loving friends he had made before his passing. They buried him early in the morning, next to her parent's graves, so that they at least were together in the next life…

For the rest of the morning, the mutant family and their human companions isolated themselves, mourning over Okina's death, or thinking deeply on what to do next before midnight approached…

…that burden, of course, was left to Leonardo, as the leader, to carry out.

But not for long.

At midday, Donatello left the village and wandered into the forest on his own, simply to get away from the dark cloud that had hovered over the heads of his friends and family as he himself pondered on what to do next. They only had twelve hours left to think of a plan to rescue Yoshi and defeat Walker and Norinaga before they hurt anyone else…

He rubbed a hand over his face wearily as he slumped next to the nearest tree, letting his shell thunk against the bark, and sliding down until he was sat on the grass. He could care less if he got muddy. He sighed as he stared up at the blue afternoon sky, the bright sun half hidden by the trees overhead, where dozens of birds flew from branch to branch, adding twigs to their nest or feeding their families…

Donnie hung his head low, tears once again threatening to fall as he let out a long sigh. This was all _their _fault. If they hadn't shown up here, Okina would have lived longer, and Mitsu and Yoshi would still have their beloved grandfather with them.

Why is that whenever they tried to help someone, they only ever made things worse?

"…Donnie?"

Donnie looked up from the floor in surprise, and turned left and right in search for the owner of the voice. "Hm? Hello? Who's there?" he called, slowly reaching up for his Bo staff out of instinct as he scanned his surroundings in search for another threat.

"Up here, Don."

Donnie looked up to find not a threat, but his older brother, Leonardo, sitting on one of the branches higher up in the tree he was leaned against, his shell resting against the trunk and his left leg dangling down, swaying back and forth slowly as he looked down at his startled younger brother. Donnie noticed that one of his katanas were lodged into the trunk above him, which had several marks and grooves into it that Donnie was sure weren't natural.

Also, Leo's normal crystal blue eyes were now dull and tired, almost empty…

Donnie nearly shivered at the thought of Leo breaking again after taking his anger out on the tree, but he hid it with a small smile as he stood up and put his hands on his hips as he stared up at his big brother. "I was wondering where you were," he said, "and so was Splinter. Don't worry, I wasn't following you. I just needed time to…y'know…"

"Think?" Leo finished for him with a small sad smile.

Donnie shrugged. "Yeah. Pretty much…you mind if I join you up there?"

Leo's smile broadened ever so slightly as he patted the space on the branch in front of him. "Come on up, Don. Two are better than one."

Donnie smiled too as he gathered some power into his legs, and in a single leap, he reached one branch before bounding and flipping up to the branch that Leo sat on, and carefully positioning himself so that he was sat properly on the branch without risk of falling off. Leo smirked at his taller brother as he settled himself. "Nice jump," he praised.

Donnie smiled proudly, "Thanks!" he chuckled, before his expression faltered slightly as he looked down at his large green hands. "Um…I saw Raph earlier, by the way," he began awkwardly, "He was just sat in the fields staring up at the clouds, doing absolutely nothing…and I haven't even seen Mikey, April or even Casey…"

He sighed as he reached out and put a hand on his brothers' shoulder. "…are _you_ okay, Leo?" he asked softly.

Leo lost his smile as he let out a long sigh. "'Okay' wouldn't be the right word for it, Donnie," he replied sadly, turning to look out at the peaceful forest landscape around them, "…this is just like the last time…we're outnumbered, we've lost two people in the space of a few hours, we've been outthought, and we're running out of time…and once again, I have no idea what we're going to do…"

Donnie looked at his older brother in shock. "W-what do you mean?" he breathed unbelievingly.

Leo looked down gloomily, not daring to look at his younger brother in shame. "We can't hand over the scepter or the power cell, and there is no way in _hell_ that we'd let them just take April away from us too. Surrendering Kenshin isn't up for discussion either…but if we don't, then Yoshi will die, and so will a lot of other innocent humans, just like Okina…but even if we do, it'll all end the same way…I guess this time…we really _are_ defenseless…we just can't win…" he fell silent then, closing his eyes as he hung his head low.

Donnie watched Leo as he slowly but surely began to sink into doubt again, on the verge of giving up again, like he almost did back on the farm…when Raph didn't wake up…when he thought he failed his brothers. And back when Mikey had been kidnapped by Dogpound, who later mutated into Rahzar….

Donnie ground his teeth together as he growled lowly, his eyes narrowing as he clenched his fists.

No!

Not this again!

He wasn't about to stand by and let this happen to him again! He had had enough of sitting around useless whilst his brothers suffered! He was done seeing Leo continue to doubt himself! He was done not being able to help!

He was **_done!_**

Donnie suddenly lashed out and grabbed Leo by both his shoulders, making the older turtle look up in shock at his younger brother with wide blue eyes, and before he could say a word, Donnie beat him to it.

"You listen to me, Leonardo," he seethed, shaking Leo slightly as he held him by the shoulders, "if you _dare_ go on and think that there's nothing we can do, then I'll _beat_ the _snot_ out of you, you hear me?! You never gave up when we thought we lost Splinter, you never gave up when April's father was threatened with mutagen, you never gave up when we had to sail all the way over here to find April, _and you sure as __**hell **__are __**not **__going to give up now!_ We can _do_ this, Leo! We've done it together before and we can do it again, no matter what the odds! We're ninja for crying out loud; we're _never_ defenseless! We can get Yoshi back, defeat Walker and Norinaga and save the village _together!"_

Leo stared at Donnie stunned silence, unable to say anything or move at all, apart from blinking once, comprehension dawning on his features.

Donnie sat back from Leo, his angry eyes becoming softer and the faintest of smiles grew across his face as he took his brother's hands in his own. "…and you know I'll follow you every step of the way, big brother. We _all _will. Just lead the way," he said softly, hoping that he had finally talked some sense into his leader as he gave his hands a squeeze.

It was true, this whole mess was hard for all of them, harder than most of the things they had been through in the past four months; mutants, robot ninjas and alien threats from other dimensions…they never had to deal with the death of a friend…

But they could overcome this. They had to. They would avenge Okina's death and save everyone, prevent anyone from sharing the same fate as he did.

And it was in knowing this that finally allowed Leonardo to firmly grip Donatello's hands that held his own, look up at him and flash him a smile, one that was full of that familiar confidence and pride that Donnie had hoped to see. "…thanks, Donnie," he said, "you're right. We can do this. Just like you and Splinter said, we're ninja. And a ninja is _never _defenseless. Also…"

He pulled Donnie forward by his hands and brought him in for a tight hug. "…I'm glad you came out here. I needed more help than I thought I did…" he whispered, tightening his hold on Donnie as he rested his chin n his shoulder.

Donnie stared straight ahead in surprise for a mere moment, before wrapping his arms around Leo in a tighter embrace, smiling even though his brother couldn't see. "Yeah…no problem, bro," he said quietly.

They sat there on that high branch embracing each other for a long time, simply letting their tangled web of emotions finally ease before pulling away, and both of them drew in deep breaths through their noses and let them out in a controlled sigh. Donnie looked back to Leo, a new _real _smile on his face. "So…what's the plan, 'Fearless Leader'?" he asked with a slowly growing grin.

Leo pouted sourly. "You know I hate it when Raph does it, so why do _you _do it?" he complained.

Donnie folded his arms smugly. "Because…I know that it gets you thinking!" he laughed, glad that his brother was finally in a better mood now.

Leo looked down, and then after spotting something that Donnie hadn't noticed, he looked back up at him and sent his brother a feral grin. "You're absolutely right, Donnie. That _did _get me thinking. We're in a tree, so I was _thinking_…what would happen if I pushed you off the branch?" he asked evilly.

Donnie's smile dropped entirely as he stared at Leo, who was itching closer to him as he raised his arms, his fingers bent in crooked claws as a devilish grin spread across his face. Donnie's eyes slowly widened as he began to scoot away. "No, Leo, don't," he said, "Leo, _don't look at me that way!"_

Without further warning, Leo pushed Donnie right off the branch, grinning like a fool as he watched him screaming and flailing his arms about as he fell from the tree…

…and landing right into Splinter's arms.

Donnie let out an "_OOF_!" as he landed bridal style in his fathers' waiting arms, and he looked up at his smug expression with his own wide eyed startled gaze. "Sensei!" he cried, "how long have you been standing under here?"

Splinter chuckled. "Long enough, Donatello," he said, not bothering to conceal his humor at the sight of his confused and startled son, "I have heard everything you told Leonardo, and might I say," he paused as he set Donnie back on his feet, placing a hand on his shoulder, "that I am proud of you. Your will to carry on has given your brother the strength he needed. And as for you, Leonardo…"

Leo leapt down a second later, landing neatly on the grass in a steady crouch, before straightening up and looking up at his father expectantly. Splinter laid his other hand on his shoulder as he gazed down at his pupil. "I am proud that you listened to him, and did not allow the sadness drown out his words," he said, "It is true that we have suffered a great loss, though our grief is not as great as Mitsu's. But it is just as I have told you before; together you can be an unmovable object, or an unstoppable force. You will all be able to conquer the challenge that lies ahead of you. I am certain of it."

Leo and Donnie smiled up at him, their eyes filled with hope and determination once again as they bowed at their master. "Come on, we need to go find the others," Leo declared, "I think I have a plan."

Donnie smiled at his older brother. "You always do."

* * *

Meanwhile, Raphael was out in the middle of the fields, sitting in the long grass with his legs crossed and his elbows resting on his knees as he gazed up at the clear blue skies. His green eyes were oddly desolate, and his expression was a void of emotion at all. He barely moved an inch from where he sat at all, and not even the sweeping of the wind could shift him.

He had been sat out there ever since Okina's funeral earlier that morning. All of his anger, back from when he lost Spike, and now after the loss of Yoshi and his grandfather, all of it had finally been completely released and fully spent the night before, and now…he didn't know what to do or feel.

The only word that could possibly describe what he felt was…empty.

He knew Mitsu was probably a wreck right now, with Kenshin trying to comfort her, and April was with her aunt…he hadn't seen Mikey, Casey or Leather Head. He did see Donnie going towards the woods a few minutes ago after Leo, but that's it…

He didn't even have the energy to care about the whereabouts of his family anymore, which actually shocked him.

But he just felt so drained, so helpless and defeated.

His little friend had just lost his grandfather, moments after being taken away to be locked up in a dirty cell until midnight, where unless Raph and his brothers handed over the scepter, he would meet his premature end, alone.

The thought of losing another friend that he held dear to him again nearly crushed the red clad turtle inside as he lowered his head to stare down at the grass.

He had promised that he would keep Yoshi safe, and that he would avenge his parents' death. He never once thought that he would have another life to add to that list of lost loved ones, and Yoshi might not even live to see them avenged.

He was only a child. Just an innocent child. What had he ever done to deserve this?

He suddenly felt a presence fall behind him. He didn't even bother to turn around as they loomed over him. He knew exactly who it was.

"Hey buddy," they said to him, their own voice written with sadness.

Raph finally turned around to find Casey standing behind him, looking down at him forlornly. He guessed that his best friend was feeling exactly the same way he was, but then again, who wasn't? "Hey Casey," he said, shuffling over to invite the human to sit down beside him, "you okay?" he asked, though it really was a stupid question.

Casey heaved a long, heavy sigh as he looked straight ahead of him at the fields that surrounded them. "…no, man. I'm not," he answered truthfully, sitting down beside Raph as he hung his head low. "…I know it's harder for Mitsu than it is for the rest of us, I get that, really I do…but…"

He cleared his throat as he felt another lump form. He thought he was done with crying.

"…what he told me that night…about my own family needing me too…he was right. But Mitsu and Yoshi, _they_ needed _him_ too. And now he's gone too…" he sniffed as he rested his head on his crossed arms on his knees, hiding his face from view as the tears once again began to trickle down his cheeks.

"…I never really knew him, but now, it feels like he'd always known _me_…and it feels like I've lost a part of my own family too…"

Raph looked at his friend, his shoulders slumping as he watched him slowly succumb to tears he could no longer hold back, his shoulders shaking. Raph had already released all of the anger and sadness dwelling inside of him, having lost two friends dearest to him, but for Casey…it was as if he was still bottling it up this whole time, and only now could he release it…

No.

He couldn't watch this anymore.

He couldn't sit around whilst the hours ticked by and the rest of his friends and family suffered like this.

Raph's face finally creased with determined resolve as he put a firm arm around Casey's shoulders, and just as Leo had done with him the night before they had all left for Japan, he let his head lean on his shoulder.

They needed to be strong now, for Yoshi, for Mitsu, and for the entire village that were depending on them to save them all.

"Don't worry, Casey," he said firmly, making Casey look up at him with tear filled brown eyes, and Raph looked at him with a new resolve in his green orbs, "we can do this. We're gonna go out there and kick those guys' asses! We'll make them pay for what they did, and save this village. Nothing ever stopped us from doing it before, so why should we stop now?"

Casey gazed at him, blinking once as he wiped the tears off his cheeks, and as soon as they were gone, a new smile found its way across his freckled cheeks as he turned back to Raph, holding out his hand for his turtle brother to grasp. "Yeah. Why should it?" he said as Raph took his hand and grasped it firmly.

They both shared a grin. Casey had sworn since day one that he would help them get through every challenge they faced, no matter what. He wasn't about to sit back and break that vow now. There were hundreds of other lives at stake now, who had families just like Mitsu and Yoshi did, and they were all going to make sure that every sing one of those families saw the light of day again, and were avenged for what Walker and Norinaga had done.

Besides, he had family waiting for him too. He had to make sure he made it back to see them again.

"Well, that took you guys long enough!" crowed an enthusiastic voice behind them.

Both Raph and Casey spun around to find Mikey, April and Leather Head stood behind them, all of them looking down at them with bright smiles on their faces as Mikey folded his arms and snickered. April's eyes were still slightly red from crying, but the sadness had completely washed off her face.

Of course, out of all the turtles, it had been Michelangelo who had come to her to soothe her, even though he himself had still held tear streaks down his face when he and Leather Head had come to her. It was Mikey's reassurance and bright outlook on the world, his strong belief that everything would turn out okay in the end that eventually brought her out of the darkness again, given her the hope she needed.

She had hugged him then, nearly bursting into tears again even as he held her back, with Leather Head there to embrace them both in his large arms.

Even her Aunt Robyn, who had been standing by as she listened to what Mikey said to her niece, urged them to keep moving forwards, to find the rest of their family and to spread the message to them as well. But by the time they had found Casey and Raphael, it appeared that they had already found their way by themselves, which April was so proud of.

Raph blinked up at the sudden appearance of his youngest brother, older human sister and the giant gator, surprised that he hadn't sensed their presence. "How long have you guys been standing there?" he asked.

"Long enough to listen to your resolve, Raphael," Leather Head said, moving closer to lay his large clawed hands on both their heads, which shook them slightly out of the slight fear of _their_ heads getting grabbed, but their fears eased once they felt him pat their heads fondly, which gained a grunt of protest from the turtle, but a smile from the boy.

Leather Head smiled down at them as he continued. "I have felt what you are feeling, my friends. But do not allow it to consume you as well, or you will be truly lost. Michelangelo pulled me out of that darkness, just as you have done with Casey, Raphael…"

Behind him, Mikey nodded eagerly, leaping over to their sides as he wrapped his arms around their shoulders and brought them close. "Yeah, like Leather Head said! We can do this, guys! We've all done it together before!" he cheered, squishing his cheek against Raph's.

Raph put his free arm around Mikey's shoulder as he grinned at his youngest brother, not resisting the 'face-squish' this time. "You're right, Mikey…and I never thought I'd say that out loud…" he said with a smirk.

"Yeah, that really _is _a surprise, Raphael," April giggled as she sat herself next to Casey, wrapping her arms around him as she smirked at Raphael.

Raph rolled his eyes at her with a grin. "Whatever you say, freckles," he taunted.

Casey laughed at that as he held April closer. Finally, it seemed that they were coming back together, just as they had done before, and just as he knew that they would always do when the situation seemed hopeless. They were ninjas for crying out loud! There was almost nothing they couldn't do. Also, Casey knew that he and April wouldn't dare let them go into battle without them to have their backs!

"So, we gonna do this, or what?" Casey declared with a new glint in his eyes.

"Well, we need a plan first, Casey. And _I_ think I have just the perfect plan."

They all turned to the left to find Leonardo and Donatello walking towards them, with Master Splinter slowly trailing behind them as he watched them all with a smile. Leo and Donnie sat down beside their brothers, their expressions written with the upmost confidence that Raph had not seen since they came to Japan.

Raph smiled at his older brother, and upon finding that the whole team was finally together again, ready to take on their next great challenge.

As one.

"Okay then, Fearless," he probed, wrapping an arm around Leo's shoulder, "so what's the plan, and is it gonna work?"

Leo held up a finger, "No plan ever survives contact with the enemy, Raphael. It's how you react to the unexpected that'll determine if we succeed or not," he quipped, looking back at where his father stood and giving him a wink, before turning back to his three brothers.

"But yeah. It'll totally work."


	22. Chapter 22: Rescuing Yoshi

**A/N: Hello again! Sorry for the long delay. I had a lot of personal issues to deal with. Anyways, here is the next chapter!**

**Also, a special thanks to SMDKFan again for helping me!**

**I hope you Enjoy it!**

* * *

**Chapter 22: Rescuing Yoshi **

The sky was a pitch black blanket, enveloping the land that night as the midnight hour finally approached. Guards were stationed at every corner, all on the lookout for the strange kappa's that were bound to arrive at any moment. The soldiers on the outside were all very well prepared for any kind of threat; however, even inside the security of his grand estate, Lord Norinaga paced the floor of his chambers back and forth, stroking his short black beard in worry. From what he had heard from Walker, they were strong, stronger that what he had expected.

In truth, he knew about the four mutant turtles, far more than Walker had claimed to have known. He knew that they were not 'demons' of any kind; he knew their true nature, as well as their skills and the name of their great and powerful ninja master, Hamato Yoshi, who had once been a feared warrior fifteen years ago before his mysterious disappearance.

Their coming to this land was not part of their plan of course, but even so, it would work very well in their favor if they were to capture the mutants.

He just needed a good enough plan to actually get his hands on them first without being killed.

A loud series of rapping on his door brought the headman out of his reverie as he looked up, and Walker came striding in confidently, folding his arms over his chest as he regarded the headman. "Everything's in place, Norinaga-sama," he said with a tint of smugness in his tone, "now all we have to is wait."

Norinaga turned to face him fully as he cast the man a questioning gaze. "You speak so confidently, Walker-san. Could it be that you are truly not afraid of the power these 'kappa' posses?" he probed.

Walker's expression faltered slightly, his left eye twitching subconsciously. It was true; he was still very much shaken by the power of the 'demons' he had come into contact with only a few days ago. Especially the blue banded one with the katana. He had never seen something so incredible in all his years. The turtle had charged in front of the red clad turtle he had planned on shooting, and he sliced the bullet neatly in half as if it were paper.

If he could do that to a bullet, then imagine what he could do to a human skull.

And now after hearing about what his men had done after abducting the child of the leader of the rebels, that very unpleasant image would surely come to life…

He brushed the thought off with a shake of his head. No, that wouldn't happen; he had installed very detailed failsafe measures to ensure that nothing, absolutely _nothing_ went awry in their plans to take the scepter and find the girl. They would make sure that whatever these so-called 'ninja turtles' had in store, they would be prepared for them.

"Please, Norinaga-sama," Walker replied easily, "our plan is foolproof. These creatures will never know what hit them, and before dawn arrives, we'll have them, the girl and the scepter."

However, as the clock on his wall chimed, and the hands finally reached midnight, Norinaga still had his doubts.

* * *

There were several guards stood by the main entrance, all of them armed with either guns or swords as they stood steadfastly at the gates. They would not be moving for anything or anyone that night, unless it was to engage in battle with the intruders that were said to be coming for them soon, but they were well trained warriors; they were prepared for anything.

Well, almost anything.

"_Special Delivery!"_

The guards started slightly, staring at the sight of a young woman waving her arms at them in the distance, dressed in a yellow hakama with the brown colored pants torn, ending just above the knees. Her head and face was hidden with a light brown scarf draped over her face, revealing only her crystal blue eyes.

They all raised their brows in confusion, and one of the guards stepped forward, his hand reaching for the sword in his belt. "State your business here!" he hollered to the young woman.

She dropped her arms to her side and bowed once to them in respect, before running back down the road again, reappearing moments later with a very large wooden box that she was only able to push forward due to the wheels at the bottom. She grunted with effort as she pushed the box across the path towards the gates.

"Here! This is for Lord Norinaga, delivered from the turtle kappa! Open with care!" she hastily explained, setting the box in front of them, and before they could even utter a word of protest, she quickly bowed again and rushed off down the path, disappearing from sight.

The guards surrounded the box that the young woman had left behind, squinting at it skeptically. They then noticed a small white note attached to it, and one of them ripped it off so that they could read it. It was written in Japanese, though the handwriting had much to be desired.

It read "_Odorokino_ _kixyuuban!"_

_...Surprise Suckers?_

They all turned to each other with raised brows.

Suddenly without any warning whatsoever, the box burst open to reveal a large, mutant alligator head, opening its massive jaws wide as it roared at them before climbing all the way out of the box and swiping his claws furiously at the terrified guards. They drew their weapons and charged to attack the giant creature, but only ended up sprawled on their backs as he swiped his tail underneath their feet and roared loud enough to shake the ground beneath them.

The sudden amount of noise drew all of the other guards posted around the other sides of the estate to the front gates, and they gaped in terror at what they found; yet another enormous demon spirit.

Where were these creatures coming from?!

"I am The Spirit of the Mountain!" the creature hollered, "Your master has taken the life of an innocent human, and has been keeping many others as his prisoners! I have come to seek vengeance upon the ones known as Walker and Norinaga!"

Leather Head inwardly grimaced at that.

Oh great. Now he was starting to sound like a Kraang…

As Leather Head fought with the dozens upon dozens of Norinaga's guards, the four turtle brothers were scaling the stone wall farther down in the shadows, using metal claws to climb their way up the wall. All of them had bags slung over their shoulders, filled with several tools that Donatello had quickly created for them back at the village to use on this mission.

And the purple clad turtle prayed that they would be enough for them to make it through the night.

April was clinging onto Leonardo's shell securely as they climbed, and the vigilante Casey Jones, dressed in all his armor and his face hidden with his plastic mask, was hanging tightly onto Raph, since he had no claws like the turtles had…and he had to admit that he was feeling slightly awkward.

He made a mental note to install claws into his gloves as soon as he got back home.

They had all agreed that Kenshin stayed with Master Splinter and Aunt Robyn back in the village, not only to ensure that Kenshin would remain out of Norinaga's grasp, but also to make sure that if any of Walker's goons decided to show up and turn the tables on them, that they would be there to protect the villagers from whatever they had in store.

And Leonardo had total faith that his sensei would lay the smack-down upon anyone who dared pose any more threat to the village.

With her bow and arrows sheathed on her back, Mitsu had hoisted herself onto Donatello's shell, wrapping her arms around the turtles' neck as she stared at the top of the wall. Donnie cast her a quick look behind him as they climbed. "Mitsu, are you sure you're ready for this?" he asked softly.

Mitsu turned to him, her eyes full of solid determination as she nodded. "Hai, Donatello-san, I am prepared. We must save my brother and my village at _any_ cost," she declared, her voice hard and commanding as it had been when they had first met.

Donnie nodded once, and he continued upwards.

Michelangelo paused as he turned to watch as Leather Head fought them off with ease, but not enough to kill them, much to his relief. "Wow! Good thing April showed up with Leather Head to distract 'em!" he grinned.

Donatello rolled his eyes and groaned, slapping a hand to his face, and then yelping in pain as the metal claws hit his face instead of his palm.

From higher up the wall, Leonardo looked over April's shoulder and down at Michelangelo. "That was the plan, Mikey," he explained, "we knew that Norinaga would have guards posted all over the perimeter of the castle, so we had April box up Leather Head to distract them all whilst we sneak in unnoticed."

Mikey blinked up at Leo once. "…what's a perimeter again?"

Leo sighed as he shook his head and rolled his eyes skyward. "Just keep climbing!" he snapped as he made sure that April was still hoisted up on his shell, he began to climb again.

Honestly, why was it always him?

"Can do!" Mikey chirped happily, as he continued upwards, but his smile began to fade slightly as he cast one last look at his friend. "Still…I kinda feel bad for leaving Leather Head down there by himself," he said.

Raphael turned to him and sent him a reassuring smile. "Don't sweat it, Mikey. He'll be fine," he said, before turning back up to climb.

As they finally reached the top of the wall, they balanced themselves on the edge as Leo held up a hand, telling them to remain low and to make no sudden moves. He quickly surveyed the area, and saw no other guards patrolling the other gates; they were all being drawn to the chaos that ensued at the entrance. Even the normal servants were all crowding around to get a better look at the action.

Leo grinned to himself victoriously. All according to plan.

With April still hoisted on his shell, he turned to his brothers and friends and nodded once. "Let's get moving guys. Fire grappling hooks," he ordered in a loud whisper. They all nodded back, and as they stood up steadily on the edge of the wall, they quickly whipped out four grappling hooks from their bags, pulling the trigger and firing the hooks, sending them flying until they implanted themselves into the wall of the prison. Then they slid across the line with ease, with Michelangelo grinning all the while.

"Oh yeah!" he crowed quietly as they zipped across the court yard.

They landed on the roof of the prison, and they let the humans slide off their shells as they quickly but silently moved over to the edge of the roof. Just as Donnie had predicted would happen eariler, there were still guards posted at the front of the doors. Luckily, the turtles were prepared for that.

Leo turned to Casey, who waited patiently for his orders as he stood next to Raphael. "You know what to do, right?" he asked.

The masked boy nodded, taking out his hockey stick and spinning it expertly in his hands. "Let's do this!" he said determinedly.

Leo nodded once. "Just keep them busy for as long as you can…" he whispered, "lead them away from here whilst we free the other prisoners and find Yoshi."

Casey nodded again, was about to move forward, before Raph held him back by the shoulder. "And for god sakes, be careful, man!" he hissed.

Casey smirked underneath his mask, giving his turtle brother a playful shove. "Chillax, bro. Casey Jones is on it!" he declared, and after the turtles, April and Mitsu moved out of his way, the human teenager took a running jump and leapt down from the roof, landing directly in front of the guards, catching them all completely off guard.

"Hey boys!" Casey snickered as he leaned smugly on his hockey stick, "Nice night to crack some skulls, ain't it?!"

The guards hastily took out their weapons and raised them at the strange looking intruder. "Stay where you are! Do not move!" one shouted, "What are you?!"

Casey's dark eyes glimmered with mischief. "Who am I? _Who am I? _Why, I'm the demon of the underworld, Jones the Reaper! I am here to take the life of your Lord and Master Norinaga!" he taunted, taking so much joy out of seeing their faces pale in fear. "If you are real soldiers, you would not hesitate to try and stop me, would you not?! Well, come after me!" he jeered, and the teen took off, forcing the guards to charge after him, yelling curses and threatening to seal the 'demon' boy and send him back to the underworld, leaving their gate foolishly unguarded.

As soon as they were out of sight, the turtles, April and Mitsu leapt down onto the ground. Raph folded his arms and smirked. "Looks like _somebody's_ enjoying this more than he should," he chuckled.

Leo only rolled his eyes, scanning the area once more before hurrying into the prison chambers, shutting the doors behind them. As soon as they were inside, the turtles leapt up to the support beams, leaving April and Mitsu on the ground. They looked up at the brothers as they sent them both a quick thumbs up, which they silently returned with a confident smile.

April then turned to Mitsu, "I'll go on ahead and set them all free, you wait outside and direct all the villagers to where the safest exit is," she said.

Mitsu nodded once before running back out the door and out into the courtyard, and April ran down the dark hallway and into the first cell block, where she was held captive the first time. It boiled her blood to think about it now.

As soon as she appeared inside the prison blocks, she couldn't hold back a gasp of horror.

This place was worse than she had last seen it. There were rats scurrying about the floors and flies swarming the air, which reeked of the foul stench of urine and puke.

She even noticed that some of the cell blocks had less people than before.

Her eyes widened and her heart sank in her chest. She prayed that they had only been moved to the lower blocks, and not been _removed_ completely…

She shook her head, banishing the thought as she continued with her mission. She approached the first cell, and with a flick of her wrist, she whipped open her Tessen from her hakama sleeve, and swiped it at the lock, shattering it as it fell to the floor. The noise caused all the prisoners to finally look up, and they instantly began to murmur in confusion and scoot as close as they could to the wooden bars of their cages as they gazed upon the red haired girl, who appeared to have sliced the lock with her metal fan.

Was she planning to free them?

Their assumptions were correct as she hauled open the door to the cell, and after slicing off the chains that bound them, she helped them to their feet and out of the cage. She pointed to the exit and announced, "_Deguchiha_ sono _houhou_ _desu_! _Isoi_ _de_!"

_The exit is that way! Hurry!_

The freed villagers nodded, thanking her continuously as they hurried down the hall April had come from, and April wasted no time in hacking her way through the other cells, freeing them all at breakneck speed. She didn't know how long she had until either Leather Head's distraction wore off, or Casey was eventually caught, and she really didn't want either to happen.

The villagers all ran out of the cells as quickly as they were able, with some helping the sick and elderly as April directed them out. She looked through all of them, but she couldn't find Yoshi anywhere. He must have been locked up in the lower levels.

Before she could follow them, a child tugged on her short hakama pants, and she looked down at her dirty face, her eyes filled with tears as she smiled up at her.

_"__Arigatou suteki na jixyosei!" _she said happily.

_Thank you nice lady!_

April smiled down at her, before bending down on one knee to give the little girl a hug. "_Daijoubu yo ima,"_ she said softly.

_You'll be okay now._

She released her and watched as she joined another woman, whom April assumed to be her mother, and waited until all of the prisoners were out before following them, stopping at the door as they all moved towards where Mitsu stood, ushering them through a large hole in the wall, no doubt something either she or Leather Head had created. Mitsu sent her a thumbs up, declaring that everything was going smoothly, which April returned before slipping back through the doors and back through the prison blocks.

She looked up to find the turtles watching her from the support beams. Only the whites of their eyes could be seen as they waited for her to give them the signal and open the door to the lower levels. It made her shiver ever so slightly just looking up at them; she thought she would have been used to it by now.

Making sure no one else was looking, April quickly opened the door that led to the lower prison levels, and before she could blink, the turtles flew past her, apart from Donnie, who stayed behind for a mere second to do something that shocked the young teen speechless.

In the blink of an eye, he bent down and kissed her on the cheek.

"Nice going April!" he praised, before slipping past her and going after his brothers, leaving her stunned and motionless. She brought up a hand to the cheek he had kissed, and a blush overcame them.

She was snapped out of her daydream when she heard the boys sing "_Smooth Donatello!" _again, making him yell at them to stop.

She grinned and rolled her eyes. Boys will be boys.

She shook herself out of her trance as she made her way back to the exit. This plan was going smoother than she had hoped it would! Maybe for the first time ever, things were finally going their way –

"Hello there again, Miss O'Neil."

…Of _course_ not.

April nearly rammed straight into the tall unmoving form of Walker himself, blocking he way to her freedom as he stood with his arms folded over his chest, eying her smugly. "Looks like the little birdie's come back to roost," he said with a sneer.

She snarled at him, her eyes filled with rage as she whipped out her Tessen and taking up a battle stance. "Back off, gruesome!" she barked, "or I'll cut that pretty face of yours! Your goons took away someone important to Yoshi…now I'm gonna return the favor!"

She leapt at Walker with startling speed, aiming for his face.

But what transpired after her charge took her utterly by a storm.

And her only warning was a cold smirk.

* * *

The turtles hurried down the steps of the prison complex, though their steps were silent and their movements undetected as they weaved in and out of the shadows. After reaching the bottom floor, they quickly leapt back to the ceiling again, keeping to the shadows of the support beams at all times even though the prison was empty…

…all except for one cell.

Raphael's eyes widened when he saw the curled up form of a young boy in the corner of a cell.

"Yoshi!" he cried, leaping down first in front of the cell before his brothers followed suit. He hurried towards the bars and peered through them, looking down at the little boy. He seemed to be just fine, but he wouldn't be able to properly tell until he saw his face.

Also, he wasn't moving…

Panicking slightly, Raph turned to his older brother. "Leo, the lock!" he cried. Leo nodded once, and he flipped out his katana blades and sliced the lock clean off. Raph wasted no time in pulling the door open and running inside, kneeing next to the curled up boy and placing a hand on his shoulder, shaking it ever so lightly. "Yoshi, buddy? You okay?"

Finally, to Raphael's relief, Yoshi lifted his head up, his eyes blinking rapidly to clear the teary haze, and they widened when he caught sight of the green mutant kneeling beside him. A wide smile appeared on his tear-streaked features. "R-Raphael-san!" he cried, shooting up to his feet as he wrapped his arms around Raph's neck tightly, burying his face into his shoulder.

Hesitating only for a moment, Raph held him back, stroking the back of his head. "There there, buddy. It's okay, we're gonna get you outta here now," he soothed, releasing him as he stood up and took him by the hand, leading him out of the cell as they were surrounded by Leo, Donnie and Mikey.

It was then that Raph shared a look with Leo, a single hard look that told Raph all that he needed to know.

He had to tell him.

He had the right to know.

Sucking in a deep breath, Raph knelt down on one knee so that he was eye-level with the child, putting a hand on his shoulder as he looked him in the eye. "Yoshi, listen…there's something I gotta tell you," he began hesitantly, "It's about your grandpa kid..."

Yoshi gazed up at him, his eyes softening.

Raph swallowed the growing lump in his throat, sparing a look at his brothers stood around them, their expressions full of sorrow and remorse for the young child, before he looked back to Yoshi, squeezing his shoulder tighter. "…I'm sorry, but…he didn't make it. He died early this morning…I'm so sorry Yoshi," he croaked.

Yoshi's lower lip trembled, tears slipping down his face as he looked Raph directly in the eye. "I…I already knew…"

They all snapped their heads up in shock as they stared at Yoshi. "What? You did?! H-How?" Leonardo stammered.

Yoshi sniffed, but he refused to crumble. "…I saw him get shot… and as I was being taken farther away from the village…I sensed his spirit...f-fading," he managed to say. "W-when my momma and papa were still alive, t-they taught Mitsu and I how to meditate…I tried to do that meditation connection thing Mitsu showed me...but...I-I couldn't feel him anymore..."

Mikey covered his mouth with his hands, squeezing his eyes shut as tears began to fall. Donnie placed an arm around his shoulders. Leo looked down at the floor with despondent eyes.

"Yoshi…" Raph whispered, his shoulders slumping as his eyes softened. He was trying so hard to be strong, but even Raph could see how his shoulders trembled with the effort of keeping his sobs at bay.

Yoshi brought up a trembling hand up to wipe away the tears, but that only brought on more. "I-I knew he was gone...but I wanted to be sure I was wrong," he struggled to say, "I-I wanted to be strong for Mitsu and…and not cry, even though I was sad…because n-now that grandpa's gone, Mitsu n-needs someone to take care of her until she gets married. Until then, I would take fulfill that role since…since I'm the only man in the house now and…and I couldn't be sad…not when my sister needed me…"

Leonardo then knelt down beside Raph and in front of Yoshi, taking his little hands in his. "Yoshi, you are very brave for trying to be strong for you older sister," he told him, "and I'm sure when you tell Mitsu everything you just told us, she will be very proud of you too. But it's alright now. Let your emotions out for now…it's okay."

Yoshi had been biting his lip beforehand, forcing himself to restrain the tears, but it was only after what Leonardo had said that he finally let the tears fall, rushing into the blue clad turtles' chest as he latched onto him and wailed into his shoulder. Leo didn't hesitate to hold the wailing child in his strong arms, simply letting him cry.

Raph, Donnie and Mikey watched in silence as the boy cried into their older brother. He had been so strong for a child so young…but a child should have never had to go through loss like this…

"It'll be alright...it'll be alright," he soothed, stroking the back of his head softly, "…your grandfather would be very proud of you, Yoshi."


	23. Chapter 23: Uncovering

**A/N: Chapter 23 is here! This actually might end up being 25 or 26 chapters long at this rate...**

**Oh well, I'm trying to get this wrapped up as best as I can, but hey, it takes time to write a good fic! **

**ENJOY!**

* * *

**Chapter 23: Uncovering**

The turtles knew that they couldn't stay down there for much longer, so after giving the little Yoshi time to collect himself, Raphael carefully lifted him up onto his shell and the four ninjas quickly made their way out of the prison, climbing up the stairs and back onto the first floor…and they were puzzled to find that April O'Neil was no longer there.

"April? April!" Donatello called, scanning the barren prison in search for the red head, but found no trace of her.

Leonardo quickly came up behind him and placed a hand on his shoulder before his younger brother could start panicking again. "Easy there, Donnie, she's probably already making her way back to the village with Mitsu and the other villagers she rescued. She'll be fine; she's stronger than that now, remember?" he said firmly.

Donnie turned to his brother, his eyes full of doubt and worry for a mere moment, before giving him a hesitant nod. He knew that April had grown much stronger during the course of her training with Master Splinter, and was well on her way to becoming a fine kunoichi that would make them all very proud…still, that didn't stop him from worrying.

"…O-Okay then," he said at last, shaking his head to get himself back on track again, "so which way do we go through now? I don't hear any more fighting outside…maybe Leather Head's distraction's already worn off?"

Leonardo looked down, putting a finger to his chin and creasing his brow in thought. What was it that April told them to do if they couldn't get back out in the open again? It was back when Leo had brought them together to discuss their plans back in their hut. He had explained exactly what they were going to do and what plan B's, C's or god forbid it D's they would use if the main plan didn't work, and Michelangelo had surprisingly enough brought up the possibility that they couldn't get back out again through the front entrance, which had even Master Splinter speechless as a result.

Luckily, April had quickly brought up a solution…

"…_I remember an entrance that Walker's creepy goons took that lead into the main castle estate. It was near the very back of the main cell block next to the door that led to the lower levels. Find that door, go up the stairs, and it'll lead you into a long hallway with paintings decorated on the walls. Keep going straight until you see two large doors on the left hand side, and that'll take you to the very back of the castle, and below would be the waste pit that we fell in. You guys should be able to make your way out without being spotted from there…" _

Leo nodded to himself once, before looking back up to his brothers, who were all awaiting his orders. "Remember that April mentioned something about another door? We look for that and we'll go from there," he said, and the four turtles hurried back to the end of the room, searching for that other hidden door.

Michelangelo continuously pressed his hands upon the wall, looking for any loose boards or holes that could possibly open the way to the hallway that April was talking about.

He was actually surprised with himself that he could remember all of that to begin with…

After several minutes, Mikey sighed in agitation, leaning his shell against the wall heavily. "Dudes, I don't think there's a door here – **_WHOAAAAAAAA!" _**

He was cut off as the wooden wall he had been leaning against suddenly opened and he fell backwards onto his shell. The others gathered around and looked down the darkened hallway that Mikey had accidentally revealed.

Donnie blinked once. "Mikey…" he breathed, "you're a genius!"

From where he lay on his shell, Mikey beamed up at his brothers with a big toothy grin and sent them a thumbs up. "That's how I _roll!" _he cheered.

Leo chuckled as he rolled his eyes, helping his baby brother back to his feet and giving him an affectionate head rub, and with that, the turtles took off quickly and silently down the dark hall, with Leo leading the pack, Raph right behind him with Yoshi on his back, followed closely by Donnie, and then finally Mikey, who quickly remembered to shut the door behind him before he followed after.

All of the lights had been turned off, leaving the moonlight that filled through the windows as the only light to illuminate their hard-shelled bodies as they moved in single file like ghosts, only the whites of their eyes visible as they ran down the hall with their arms unbent behind them. Yoshi held onto Raphael like a lifeline as he wrapped his arms around his neck. He had always dreamed of the day he would be able to see real-live ninjas in action from the stories his parents told him, but as he watched these four large creatures now, moving so quietly and swiftly as if their feet never touched the ground, he couldn't help but feel a shiver run down his spine.

This is what the ninja were really like. And admittedly it scared him.

Raph looked at him from behind, giving the tired and slightly frightened child a supportive grin, his green eyes shining like a light in the darkness, filled with reassurance that filled Yoshi's little heart with warmth.

They would make it out of there alive. He would be able to see his big sister again.

Yoshi knew that the turtle kappa would win back their home.

At the front of the line, Leonardo noticed that one of the rooms still had the light on inside. Curious, he skidded to a stop on the smooth wooden surface of the floorboards, holding up his hand to tell his brothers to stop as well. He made one motion with his raised hand, gesturing the door. Directly behind him, Raph nodded once in understanding, and after handing Yoshi over to Donnie, Raph took out his Sais, spinning them both before using the tip to pry open the sliding doors slightly, peeking into the room in case someone was still in there. To his relief, he found no one, and he slid the doors all the way before entering, motioning for his brothers to follow.

The room appeared to be some kind of small office or study, with a single table in the center filled with piles of unorganized papers, and shelves on either side filled with books and old scrolls that appeared to be decades old.

The turtles moved further inside the room out of curiosity, though Donnie couldn't help but set Yoshi back on his feet on the floor and rummage through the papers on the table. Honestly, couldn't people be more organized than this –?

He froze on the spot as he picked up one paper with the image of someone they were all too familiar with. His dark red eyes grew wide in fear as they skimmed through the document, his green skin paling as he kept reading.

This was bad.

This was really, _really _bad.

"Guys, look at this!" he called over, and his brothers quickly crowded around the tallest turtle and gaped at what they saw.

It was a document filled with all the details and pictures of April O'Neil. Some were of her and her childhood, others of her in the present, walking down the streets with her aunt, her father, and even Casey Jones.

Donnie recognized that picture as the time Casey had first gotten his metal mask. And in the background, he could just catch a glimpse of a tall man wearing a normal business suit. But Donatello knew very well that it was no ordinary man…

The Kraang had known about April before the turtles knew about the Kraang. Better yet, the Kraang have known about April _her whole life._

"So it's true," Donnie breathed disbelievingly as he shared a stunned look with his brothers, setting the paper back on the table, "the Kraang really _are _after April, and April alone." He stared down at the table, unable to tear his eyes away from the files of the girl he loved. "I can't believe it…an entire alien race is after April…"

"Yeah, that was until _we_ got involved," Leo growled, picking up another document and holding it up, "Now there's an entire alien race after _all_ of us. Look at this. These were all given to Lord Norinaga _personally_ by the Kraang."

This time, the page was filled with photos of the turtles. Most of them were very blurred, but the one that stood out the most was the one of them in Central Park, fighting with Karai against Dogpound and Fishface, just before they had taken Mikey.

The Kraang had been watching them this whole time. And they never even knew.

Leo's eyes narrowed in anger. "Norinaga knows about us," he said, "he's known from the very beginning. Should've known the whole 'kappa' thing would blow over eventually."

Raph picked up another file, one that had a blurred picture of a tall brown-furred creature, and at the very bottom, an image of a Japanese man in an army uniform. To anyone else, it would have looked like a badly photoshoped image, but to him, it was as clear as daylight.

Also, he had seen that same human face in the dojo every single day of his life.

"That's not all they know about," he snarled, gaining the attention of the others as Mikey peered over his shoulder, and the youngest turtle gasped at what he saw.

"Dudes! They know about Splinter too!" he cried, pointing at the picture on the document, his baby blue eyes wide, "This is seriously messed up!"

"It's more than that, Mikey," Leo said, shifting through all the papers that even had individual profiles of himself, his brothers, his Sensei, their human allies, **_everyone. _**"This is a _disaster_. They know just about _everything _about us. We need to get rid of all this evidence, _now_. Who knows what Walker or Norinaga will do with this information."

"Yeah," Raph agreed sourly, "what if he decides to hand it over to some government agent that looks out for things like us to experiment on or something?" Next to him, Mikey shuddered in fear.

Donnie continued to shift through the papers, looking for something in particular, and after realizing that he wasn't going to elaborate to them anytime soon, Leo decided to ask. "Um, Donnie? What are you looking for?"

Donnie still didn't look up as he answered, "I'm looking for something, _anything_, which can tell us _why _the Kraang are after April, and _only_ April. Think about it; there are billions upon billions of humans living on this planet, and the Kraang decide to come to this dimension in particular just for this _one _teenage girl. There must be a special reason for that…"

Mikey held up a hesitant hand. "Um, didn't Leather Head mention something to do with 'The Perfect Mutant'?" he offered.

The others turned to look at him, confusion written on their faces as they then turned to one another. Raph shook his head and scoffed, "No way! April, a _mutant_? That's impossible…Right?"

However, their search for the answers came to an abrupt end when the doors behind them suddenly slid open, and they spun around to find Lord Norinaga stood at the entrance with several guards, all of them holding up swords and guns pointed at the turtles and the child. Norinaga sneered at them.

The turtles instantly moved to grab their weapons, but they stopped short as the guns clicked into position and aimed directly at them. "Do not move," Norinaga commanded, "put your hands behind your heads and remain where you now stand, or I have them shoot you all."

They glared daggers at the headman, but they did as he said, putting their hands behind their heads. Mikey drew Yoshi closer to his side, shielding him from the gunmen before putting his hands behind his head as well.

Norinaga motioned for his other guards to move forward, and they came up behind the mutants, disarmed them and tied their wrists behind their backs, before forcing them down onto their knees. Norinaga smirked down at them.

"Check mate, turtles," he sneered.

* * *

"This. Is. So. Not. Fun anymore!" Casey Jones cried, his lungs and legs burning from the strain and the effort as he continued to run from the prison guards across the courtyard, who had not since the beginning of the chase had given up, and he was running out of breath and energy.

"Raph, if you're there, anytime you guys wanna come and bail me out, NOW WOULD BE AN AWESOME TIME!" he bellowed over the shouting of the guards, but of course, he got no answer. What the heck was taking them so long anyways?!

He took a sharp turn to the left, and to his utter dismay, he found nothing but a dead-end. He gulped nervously as he spun around to find the guards surrounding him, backing him against the wall and raising their spears in the air. Casey covered his head with his hands and squeezed his eyes shut.

This was it. This was going to be the end of Casey Jones.

"Get away from the boy!" growled a voice from behind the guards. They spun around to find the giant alligator creature from before towering over them, glaring down at them viciously. Casey let out a sigh of relief. Perfect timing as usual.

The guards all let out a squeak of fear as Leather Head growled once more. "I said…step away from my friend."

"Oh, t-this demon is _your _friend?" one of them stuttered, "Oh, w-we did not know of this, d-did you?" he asked the guard next to him.

He shook his head vigorously, "No, no, of course not!" he stammered. He turned to the guard behind him. "Did you?"

That guard stupidly nodded his head.

Leather Head roared ferociously in their faces, and they ran around him screaming for all they were worth as they ran as fast as their legs could carry them. Casey looked up at Leather Head, and gave him a thumbs up. "Thanks LH! I don't know what I would've done without you, man," he breathed, still slightly out of breath from all the running, "so what happened to the distraction thing?"

Leather Head patted his head and smiled. "You are welcome. And I have knocked them all out already. Come, we must find the others; I fear that the plan may have gone wrong. They were supposed to be outside already."

Casey nodded, and he set off after Leather Head on his roller-skates. He checked the back still strapped to his back, feeling for the object. To his relief it was still there, safely tucked deep inside the bag.

He knew of plan B, just as the others did, but he really hoped that they wouldn't have to result to that…

* * *

Norinaga smirked coldly as he stepped towards the captured mutants that were on their knees before him, folding his hands behind his back as he seemed to observe them as if they were a prize, which in truth, to him at least, they were. "Well, well. Here we are at long last. I know very much about you turtles, as well as your rat master…" he spoke slowly.

"Yeah, we kinda gathered that, thanks very much," Donnie spat, narrowing his eyes at the man stood before him.

"We know about your alliance with the Kraang and The Foot, Norinaga," Raph snarled, twisting his wrists against the ropes, "so you might as well give up now before we lay the smack-down on _you_ too!"

Norinaga merely scoffed at Raphael's threat, before he bent forwards slightly so that he was face to face with Leonardo, stroking his black beard. "I assume that you are their leader, yes?" he probed, his tone full of smug mockery "I must say, Leonardo-san, that you are quite the young leader I had expected you to be. I am impressed that you and your clan have managed to get this far. My congratulations on your…short-lived 'success'," he derided.

Leonardo remained silent, only slightly dipping his head and narrowing his eyes in response to his taunt.

Norinaga frowned. It seemed that _this_ turtle's shell was harder to crack than he thought. Eager to agitate them a little before he locked them away, he tried a different tactic. "I see that you are a very disciplined young ninja, Leonardo-san. And yet, you and your comrades have been snooping through my documents. How dishonorable of you to look through one's personal belongings," he smirked coldly.

Leo allowed himself to snarl up at the headman, his blue eyes tinted with rage. "You dare talk of honor when you have none of it yourself?!" he barked, making Norinaga take a cautious step backwards. The gunmen raised their guns again, but Leo took no notice as he glared up at the man. "What honor is there in keeping innocent people captive? Driving them out of their homes? _Killing them for the sake of your own greed?!"_

Norinaga stared at each of the mutant turtles, and all he saw in their eyes were hatred towards him. He noticed the child next to Raphael, who also glared up at him with a lathing he never saw in a child his age since his own son, Kenshin.

However, he only laughed in their faces despite that. "Honor, you say? What worth is honor when the only thing that matters in the world today is money?" he scoffed, "What worth is your ninjitsu or a simple village of worthless beggars when you can uncover the secret riches of the land for ten times more than they are worth? You cannot threaten me, turtle. You have _no_ power over me, for money is where true power comes from. Once I obtain the scepter…which I am sure you have with you…I will finally uncover the mineral that is buried deep within the land, and obtain more riches than ever before!"

Leo ground his teeth together, feeling his blood boil at every word uttered from this power hungry warthog's mouth.

However, he just had to keep him talking, just until he could twist out the dagger in his wrist wrap.

"Is that so?" Leo probed darkly, "Well then, what do you plan on doing with us?"

From the corner of Raph's eye, he could see Leo twisting his wrists ever so slightly, and then his small dagger finally slipped out. Realization dawned on him, and he turned to Norinaga as well. "Yeah," Raph countered, catching onto what Leo was trying to do before his other two brothers did, "you're not _really _just gonna kill us, are you?"

Norinaga chuckled darkly down at the turtles. "No, of course not. A much worse fate awaits you four turtles. Once I take the scepter, I will send you off to my employer, who I am certain you know of. He will pay a handsome price for you all," he grinned, "and now that I have you defenseless –"

"No you don't."

Norinaga shot a surprised look at the youngest of the turtles, whom had yet to say anything until now. He raised a brow at him. "What was that, turtle?" he spat crossly.

Michelangelo grinned up at the headman smugly, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Dude, you should know better than that!" he mocked, casting a quick glance at Leonardo, who smiled at him with the tiniest of nods, before he looked back up at Norinaga with a freckled smile. "Rule number One: A ninja is _never _defenseless!"

And with that signal, Leo ripped through his ropes with his dagger, and before Norinaga could react, Leo smashed his fist into his face _hard_, sending him flying backwards onto his back. "And Rule Number Two: Always catch a villain off guard whilst he's busy monologuing," Leo sassed with a cocky grin.

The gunmen instantly aimed to fire at all of them, but Leonardo had already grabbed his Katanas from the side, and he was upon them before they could even pull their triggers, sending papers flying everywhere as he fought them off, slicing their guns in two and felling them within seconds.

Raph quickly shuffled himself over to where Leo had set his dagger on the floor whilst he dealt with the gunmen, and after struggling to pick it up with his tied wrists, he used it to cut his ropes off, shaking some feeling back into his hands before he set upon untying Yoshi, and then moved onto Donnie.

As soon as Donnie's bonds fell off, he immediately rolled to the other side of the room where they had thrown his Bo staff, and began to beat them down alongside Leo. "Thanks Raph!" he called over with a grin.

"No problem! Let's just hurry up and meet up with the others!" he replied as he untied Mikey, rubbing his head affectionately with his signature smirk as he helped him up, and they both went to retrieve their weapons whilst hiding Yoshi underneath the table.

A guard leapt up behind Mikey with a sword in hand instead of a gun, and he brought it down hard upon his shell, expecting to cut through it. But to his shock, it only bounced off the hard surface. Mikey let out a small cry of pain, one that would suggest he had merely been bitten by a bug, and he turned to the soldier who had tried to stab him. "Oh…He who dings the shell must _pay_!" he cried, before he brought down his 'Hot Nunchuck Fury' upon the unfortunate soldier. On the other side of the room, Raph smirked proudly.

With his nose bleeding from the blow Leonardo had given him (which stung like the fires of hell), Norinaga quickly stumbled to his feet as he fled the room. He had underestimated the ninjas, and so now it was time for his own plan B.

As soon as all of the gunmen had been defeated, al on the ground groaning in pain, Raph beckoned Yoshi out from under the table, smiling reassuringly. "You alright, little buddy?" he asked.

Yoshi nodded happily, "Yes Raphael-san! You fought well!" he chimed.

Raph wore a cocky grin on his face. "You better believe it, buddy," he chuckled with a wink.

"Guys, Norinaga escaped, we've gotta move!" Leo called, sheathing his swords as he ran out of the room, followed by Mikey, Donnie and Raph as soon as he scooped Yoshi up in his arms.

As they fled the room, a single document fluttered down to the floor. On it held the details and the blurred photograph of a strange yet clearly fearsome warrior creature…

One that resembled a tiger…

* * *

**A/N: Oooooh cliff-hanger!**


	24. Chapter 24: Battle Royal

**A/N: Hey there! This chapter took a while to do, but i'm good with the resuults! I think ater this, two more chapters are going to be needed before I wrap this story up and start the next one!**

**I OWN NOTHING!**

**And just what the hell happened to April when she fought Walker? Well, read on to find out!**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

**Chapter 24: Battle Royal**

For what seemed like the billionth time in his life, Casey Jones realized that he wasn't at all surprised when as soon as he and his giant mutant gator companion had rounded the corner, they came face to face with an army of angry soldiers, who all charged and surrounded them headlong, their spears and swords at the ready. Leather Head couldn't restrain the sigh of annoyance as he saw the flood of humans. "…and so it begins again," he groaned, preparing himself as he stood side by side with Casey, who slipped on his mask and took out his hockey stick.

"Yep," he said simply, though he couldn't help but feel a little irritated himself, "time to go to work!"

Seriously, couldn't things ever go right for them, just for _once_?

**_"_****_BOOYAKASHAAAAA!"_**

Suddenly, four familiar green figures were in front of them both, drawing their weapons as they prepared to face off the new horde of castle guards. Casey gaped in shock for a mere moment, before a grin found its way across his features, though none of them could actually see it due to the mask. "Guys, you're finally here!" he cried, "What the hell took you so long, dudes?!"

"Power-hungry pig problems," Donatello replied with a hint of a growl as he spun his staff, "have you guys seen April yet?"

Casey shook his head, shrugging his shoulders. "I thought she was with you guys!" he replied, panic beginning to settle into his gut. April was missing now _too_? And none of them knew where she could have gone?!

Well, this plan was working out perfectly…

Donnie's eyes widened fearfully as he rounded on Casey. "Didn't you see her leave the prisons?!" he barked.

"Are you _kidding_ me?! I was being chased like a freaking headless chicken around the courtyard for the better half of an hour! And weren't **_you _**guys supposed to make sure she was safe?!"

"Guys, can we _focus_ please?!" Leonardo snapped, and they quickly reassumed a battle stance as they were once again swarmed with guards, more than they could count…and possibly more than they could handle.

From where he sat safely hidden behind several barrels, Yoshi watched with wide-eyed fear as his kappa friends were surrounded. He swallowed nervously, sweat tricking down his forehead. There were so many of them, and some of them could be armed with guns. He shouldn't be afraid though; they were demons, they were strong enough to defeat them…right?

The turtles, Casey and Leather Head all stood back to back as they glared at the soldiers. Leonardo growled, cursing under his breath. There was no way that they could beat all these soldiers without getting captured again, even with Leather Head by their side, who looked like he was already out of breath and tired from his distraction.

He couldn't risk putting them all in jeopardy again…looks like there was only one thing the leader could possibly do now.

"Guys…I think we might have to switch to plan B," he announced.

His brothers and friends turned and gasped, staring at their leader in shock. Plan B was only when the situation seemed completely hopeless…

…he didn't think that they were going to make it, did he?

"_HOO HOO! UP HERE!"_

All went suddenly silent as all heads snapped up to the top of the front gate, where Kenshin was stood with his sword in hand beside Mitsu with her hands planted on her hips proudly. And next to them, was Master Splinter with a quiver of arrows on his back and a bow in his hands. Leo gaped up at their father and friends in wordless shock, as did most of the guards around them as they stared up at the giant rat and the noble son, completely stunned. "Sensei?! Mitsu?! _Kenshin?! _What are you guys doing here?!" he cried.

Splinter quirked a brow at his oldest son. "What? Did we miss the, as Michelangelo had put it, 'butt-whooping'?" he asked.

The mutants and the vigilante shared a look. "Um…no," they all answered in unison, shaking their heads.

"In fact you're kinda early," Michelangelo piped up.

"That is good then," Splinter said, a smile reaching his lips as he turned to Mitsu, "because we brought reinforcements…"

Mitsu then grinned, one that reminded Mikey of how she had been when he had played with her that day, and she put two fingers to her mouth and turned around as she whistled to whoever was behind the gate.

Suddenly, the gates burst open to reveal all of the village men, all armed with spears, swords and other various sharp objects that they knew would leave a mark. Leading them all at the front of the pack, was none other than Aunt Robyn, dressed in a hakama like April's, with the legs torn at the knee. She stood with a spear leaning against her shoulder, and a very smug look on her face as the turtles' jaws dropped to the ground, as did Casey's, Leather Head's, and about half a dozen of the guards.

"Well then," Robyn smirked, "shall we get started?"

"Testified sister!" Michelangelo whooped, pumping his fist into the air in triumph.

Leonardo turned to Donatello, Raphael and Casey, all of them grinning like fools as they shared a confident nod. Looks like once again, the fates were in their favor at last.

With that, Leo raised his katana in the air and hollered, **_"Hajime!"_**

The turtles charged with the giant mutant gator and the crazed, skull masked vigilante. "**_GOONGALA!" _**Casey bellowed.

"**_CHARGE!" _**Robyn declared, and her 'army' did just so, running into the courtyard with Splinter, Mitsu and Kenshin in tow as the battle commenced at last.

Michelangelo flipped and danced over the guards, lipping his nunchaku in a flamboyant fashion as he took his opponents to the ground one by one, the freckled smile never leaving his face. "I **_LOVE _**this stuff!" he laughed, quickly climbing onto Leather Head's back and whooping with more laughter as he rode his 'mighty steed', ploughing through the soldiers but keeping in mind not to harm the village men around them.

"I agree Mikey!" Donatello hollered from the other side of the battle field as he leapt up and kicked two guards, sending them flying into empty crates as he laughed, "I'm getting a real _kick _out of this too!"

"Saving that for a special occasion, Dork-a-tello?" Raphael teased, spinning his Sais with the most predatory grin one would never wish to see as he leapt head first into battle, felling his enemies with quick hard blows to the heads, chests and faces and taking them to the ground with a kick. Oh, this felt _so _good!

Now that he was all fired up, he couldn't wait to show Walker what he had in store for _him_!

Leonardo rolled his eyes at his younger brothers' banter, but he himself was no less amused. His strikes were not as brutal as Raph's were, but they were no less devastating as he swept his blades in sharp fluid motions, felling the guards he faced one by one. He quickly cast his gaze to where Casey was fighting side by side with Kenshin, both of them delivering hard blows to their offenders, with Casey tazing them every now and then for a quicker take-down. He watched as he and Kenshin shared a high-five before leaping back into the fray.

"Miss O'Neil, over here!" Mitsu called over, swiping her knife swiftly with her trained hands as Robyn hurried over to her side, her spear in her tight grasp as she glared at the soldiers.

"Payback time, punks!" Robyn seethed, spinning the spear in her hands with surprising speed and skill as a few soldiers took a cautious step back in fear. Mitsu cast a startled glance at the older woman, who turned to her and shrugged. "What? I was at the top of my class in gymnastics back in my day!" she beamed, before turning her attention back to the guards and spinning her spear once more, managing to strike several of them at a time as she moved forwards.

She was going to make them pay for what they had done to the villagers, her niece, and the rest of her family once and for all.

After momentarily admiring Robyn's surprising skills with her spear, Master Splinter returned his attention to the battle, and was striking his enemies down with ease, hitting pressure points and swiping his claws in their faces and his tail underneath their legs as they fell like dominos. He couldn't help but feel a little dissatisfied though; these men were hardly worth being called warriors with their lack of real skill, though he had to admit that he now understood why Raph enjoyed going out with Casey so much.

Hitting people really _was _good for stress relief!

It was in the midst of all the chaos of the battle between villagers, mutants and soldiers that Leonardo caught sight of someone trying to move towards the front gates and escape. His blue eyes narrowed as he let himself snarl as he leapt over his head, landing just in front of him in a crouch with his Katanas bared, blocking Norinaga's path.

"End of the line, Norinaga!" he seethed, standing up to his full height as he crossed his swords, ready to attack.

Norinaga sneered at the turtle, and from his belt he drew his own sword. Leo's eyes never left the headman as they glared each other down.

Several of the villagers and guards turned and stared at the scene, as did Raph as he quickly turned to look, and he found Leonardo and Norinaga circling each other, glaring one another down as they prepared to face each other.

From the corner of his eye, Leo shot a glance at Raph, and though he said nothing, the order was clear.

_Stay out of this._

Raph clamped his mouth shut, chocking back the retort he planned to give him, and instead he nodded, leaping back into the battle around them. Leo could do this on his own. He had faith that his older brother was far stronger than that lowlife.

Leo gave his younger brother a very faint but pure smile. Finally, he was following his orders again. The smile vanished again as Leo turned back to face Norinaga, standing firmly in a defensive stance and beckoning the headman to come at him.

"Let's go," he said lowly.

With a loud cry, Norinaga charged forwards, and Leo met him half way, their blades clashing. Leo growled as Norinaga tried to force Leo backwards, his feet skidding slightly in the dirt. "You shall not defeat me, turtle," Norinaga snarled.

Leo scoffed. "We'll see about that."

Leo kicked the headman in the stomach with his knee, forcing him backwards before he pot on his heel to deliver a back-kick, but Norinaga dipped his head under his attack, and used the mere second he had to swipe his sword towards Leo's other leg, but Leo back-flipped over his head and brought his blades down upon his shoulder. Norinaga quickly spun around to block the blades before they could pierce him, and the two warriors exchanged quick, sharp blows, the sound of clashing metal singing in the air as they fought. Norinaga watched the turtle fight as if he were in a dance, a deadly dance to the death with graceful yet lethal and full of anger that was slowly escaping from its restraints.

No, he would _not_ allow himself to fall by the hand of a mere _mutant! _

He dodged a swipe of the twin Katanas, and used the opening to strike Leo in the face, arm and chest with his fists and foot, sending Leo flying into a pile of broken crates.

Michelangelo turned from where he sat upon Leather Head, and he gasped. "Leo!" Mikey cried, sliding off of the gators' back and spinning his nunchaku, already running to aid his big brother.

"No! Stay back, Mikey," Leo called, stopping the orange clad turtle in his tracks and grunting in pain as he stood up, shaking his head to clear the dizzy haze as he looked at his youngest brother with firm, but reassuring eyes. The side of his mouth was bruised and a trail of blood was dripping down his chin, but he showed no more signs of pain. "I'll be okay, Mikey," he said calmly, "…remember 'Last Turtle Standing'?"

Mikey seemed very hesitant, still fearful for the wellbeing of his older brother, but after a moment of contemplation, recognition dawned on him as he nodded his head, smiling at him before he ran back to join the rest of his family in the fray.

Leo smiled back, and then returned his hard gaze to the smirking Norinaga, readying his swords once again after he wiped off a trail of blood off his lip. "Big mistake," he growled.

Norinaga charged for Leo again with a loud cry, but instead of making is mark with his sword, spun around him, leaping in the air and just as he had done to Raphael back in the dojo, he struck Norinaga in the face with his knee, sending the headman flying before he landed face first in the dirt, his sword skidding out of reach.

He quickly attempted to scramble back to his feet, his nose bleeding again, but was stopped short as Leonardo's katana froze him in place as it edged closer to his face. The turtle's eyes were cold and full of hate, but his expression was flat and a void of emotion at all as he stared down at the fallen lord before him.

"Go ahead, 'kappa'," Norinaga said lowly, "finish me…"

Leo's eyes narrowed slightly, but he made no further move to strike the human. "…no."

Norinaga snapped his head up at the mutant turtle, his eyes wide. "_Nani?!" _he demanded.

Leo didn't retract his sword as he spoke, "Death comes to us all, Norinaga. But when you die, it will be without honor…but it will not be by _my_ hand. Unlike the likes of you and Walker, killing people is beneath us. It's against _our_ code of honor, as the Hamato Clan, to take a life, which is something you and _your _clan, apart from your son, seriously lacks. Besides…I've got something better in mind for you…"

Leo quickly sheathed his katanas, grabbed Norinaga by the front of his hakama with both hands and hauled him up to his feet. He launched a hard spinning back-kick into his chest, sending him stumbling into the center of the battle field. Leo grinned devilishly as he spun around and sliced at a rope with his kunai knife, and looked up as the large old bell it was attached to fell from its holding. Norinaga screamed as the bell upon him trapping him inside it as it landed with a loud ring on the ground.

Splinter turned around at the sound, as did the rest of their comrades and family, and Splinter nearly smirked at the sight as his eldest son pointed and laughed at whoever had been trapped inside that large bell. Raph, Mikey and Donnie quickly ran towards their leader as the battle slowly came to a halt, with both soldiers and villagers watching to see what had happened to the headman. Kenshin and Mitsu were especially eager as they stood by and watched.

When the brothers reached Leo, he was clutching his stomach and laughing hard enough to bring on tears. Raph couldn't help but crack a grin. "Dude, what the heck is so funny?"

"And who's trapped inside?" Mikey asked as he pressed his ear on the bell, hearing yelling and banging inside, as well as a few choice Japanese curse words that even _they _had never heard before.

Leo took a moment to regain himself but couldn't stop grinning. "L-Lord Norinaga!" he laughed.

Mikey and Raph instantly started to laugh, and Donnie beamed. "Norinaga?!" he chortled, before taking his staff and swinging it, knocking the bell hard as it rang out loud, and Norinaga yelped in pain as the sound pierced his ears. Donnie hummed thoughtfully. "Name rings a bell!" he joked, earning more laughter from his brothers, along with the village men who then began to cheer in victory at the fall of their 'lord'. Even some of the guards began to point and laugh at their humiliated former master.

"Mitsu! Kenshin!" Yoshi called but as he ran over to his older sister, who immediately scooped up the child into her arms as she held him close, tears pilling over as she held him tight, never daring to let him go again. Kenshin smiled as he wrapped his arms around the two of them in a warm embrace; now that his father had been defeated they could finally be together.

Splinter and Robyn (who looked like she was about to fall over and faint from exhaustion) turned to each other and smiled. It appeared that this battle was finally over…

…but Splinter's smile instantly fell when he remembered something very important. "Wait a moment, where is April?" he suddenly asked.

Robyn turned to him in puzzlement, her face paling ever so slightly as she stared up at him. "Wait…wasn't she with the turtles?" she asked, her heart sinking in her chest.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen!"

Everyone fell silent as all eyes looked towards the front doors of the castle to find Walker walking smugly down the steps of the castle…and the turtles eyes widened and they gasped in horror when they caught sight of a battered and bruised April O'Neil in his grasp, barely able to stand as she was dragged along with him by her arm. Her face was covered in cuts and bruises, her bottom lip was bleeding and one eye was half closed as she gritted her teeth in pain, forcing the tears back as she stumbled on weak legs.

Robyn let out a cry of alarm as she covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes wide and horrified. "M-My…my baby…" she trembled, tears threatening to spill over as she stared at the state of her niece. She had never seen her like this before, not even during her training…this was a nightmare come true…

Splinter growled through his bared fangs, putting a firm but reassuring hand on Robyn's shoulder as he glared daggers at Walker, who held the child he had come to see as a surrogate daughter in his grasp. It took nearly everything in his power to keep him from leaping out there and tearing that man limb from limb, but he knew that he had to stay where he was.

One false move and April could face more harm than they could bare to even think about.

The turtles were already seething in anger, livid as they all took several threatening steps towards Walker, joined by an equally enraged Casey Jones. "**_You…you son of a –!" _**he growled, spinning his hockey stick as he prepared to bring it down upon the man that had dared to hurt the girl they saw as a sister.

But Walker pulled out a gun, positioning it next to April's head, stopping the turtles in their tracks as they gasped. "Not another step, creatures," he warned, "I know you have the scepter with you. Hand it and Kenshin over to me, or she's dead."

Raph's breath came out in ragged angry hisses through his teeth. "You kidding?! I still owe you a beat down and then some for what you and your buddies did to Okina!" he bellowed.

April glared fiercely at her captor despite being held at gunpoint. "D-don't…listen to him guys! He's l-lower than scum!" she stuttered with a growl, "I-in fact…he gives scum a bad name!"

Walker tightened his hold on her arm and jerked it, making her cry out in pain. "Shut up, or I'll shoot you _now_, little birdie," he threatened, turning back to the 'demons', "Hand them ever now, and no harm will come to her!"

Leo ground his teeth together, letting out a low snarl. He looked back at his family and friends, all of them looking to him expectantly, apart from Donnie, who stared up at Walker with his staff in his grasp, looking as if he were about to murder him.

His eyes met Splinters', and the young turtle's gaze was full of uncertainty, begging for his father to give him the answers he needed.

Splinter only nodded once, his dark eyes resolute.

_Do what you must, my son._

Leo narrowed his eyes in resolve and nodded once, turning back to face Casey. "…Plan B, everyone. Give him the scepter Casey," he ordered.

Casey sighed, digging into the bag over his shoulder and taking out the scepter, holding it in both hands. "He's so going to _pay_ for this," he growled under his breath as he stepped over to where Walker stood. From the corner of his eye, he could see Kenshin releasing Mitsu and walking over with his hands held up in surrender, a scowl across his features as he stepped next to Walker.

"There is no honor in what you are doing, Walker," Kenshin growled as Walker snatched the scepter out of Casey's hands, and the British man only smirked at him.

"Of course not. That's why I'm winning," he sneered.

Casey backed off of him, his enraged brown eyes never leaving him as he stood next to Raph. Leo stood in front of his brothers and demanded, "Now hand over April…before **_I _**hurt **_you_**…"

Walker's left eye seemed to twitch nervously as he stared into the blue clad turtle's eyes, but he quickly brushed the feeling aside with another smug smirk, one that was starting to irritate Leo. "Of course…" Walker said, "but first things first…_BOYS!" _

Suddenly, dozens of Walker's own henchmen arrived, barging through the front gates and flooding into the courtyard, yelling and laughing as they surrounded the mutants and villagers. Donnie growled under his breath. "Of course…why did we expect anything different?"

Without averting his gaze at all from Walker, Leo put a hand on Donnie's shoulder, squeezing it lightly in reassurance. "Hang on, Donnie. April and Kenshin are gonna be fine…we still have plan C," he said, low enough so that Walker couldn't hear.

"Of course," Walker announced as the mutants were surrounded, "I'd love to stay and chat, but I have places to go, people to kill. Boys…shoot them."

At their master's command, the goons all aimed their guns at the turtles, Leather Head, Splinter and their human comrades. Splinter narrowed his eyes dangerously, and was about to make a move to disarm them and quite literally beat each and every one of them into the ground, but a hand on _his_ shoulder this time, who as he turned around he found out to be Robyn's, stayed him.

She looked him in the eye, and shook her head. There was still one more card they had left to play.

His gaze softening, Splinter nodded back, and looked back to where his four sons and Casey stood in the center of guns that surrounded them.

April gasped in fear. She knew about how Leo had somehow managed to slice a bullet in half…but there was no way any of them, not even _Master_ _Splinter, _could hope to dodge all of those. She felt tears stinging her eyes.

She had failed them all.

Her crystal blue eyes met Leonardo's. He gave her a small nod and a reassuring smile, and though she had no idea how, but it was as if she could hear his thoughts echoing to her.

_It'll be okay…I promise._

Her eyes widened, and before she could blink, that strange connection was gone again, and Leo turned back to Mikey, nodding once. Mikey nodded back with a grin, and he raised his hands in the air and shouted "**_HOLD IT!"_**

The goons momentarily lowered their guns and Walker quirked a brow at the younger turtle, keeping a firm grip on April's arm and a careful eye on Kenshin. "What? Brave last words for the brave demon heroes, is it?" he queried.

Mikey beamed at him and nodded. "Just one!" he piped up.

Walker snickered. "Well then, please share with us before we shoot you down like dogs."

Mikey nodded as he cleared his throat dramatically, sharing one last look with his family and smirking at Donnie who covered his head with his hands, before he drew in a deep breath and bellowed at the top of his voice;

"**_KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!"_**

On the other side of the battle ground, the mutant alligators' head suddenly shot up, his eyes widening before they turned completely white. All eyes turned to him as he suddenly seemed to grow in size, his breath hissing through his teeth as he growled ferociously.

Splinter put his hands on Robyn's shoulders as he took a step back. "I was not aware of this plan," he admitted. Robyn nodded in terrified agreement as Mitsu hid behind the giant rat with Yoshi in her arms.

Oblivious to the gators' actions and the paling faces of both April and Kenshin, Walker quirked a confused brow down at Mikey. "_Kraang_?" he barked.

And suddenly, like a bomb in the water, Leather Head broke.

**_"_****_KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG!_**


End file.
